SIX members of Su-Ha-Ri Karate School enjoyed great success at the UK Open held in Dudley.

The Tadley girls led the way starting with kata (form). Lexie Green who has just turned 10, competed for the first time in the girls 10 to 11 years category.

Green performed well but the judges voted 2-1 in favour of her opponent.

Mia Lane contested the girls 12 to 13 years novice category.

Lane performed brilliantly and the gold seemed assured.

However, a few mistakes right at the end of the kata meant the judges dropped a few points.

This resulted in a respectable silver.

The pair then went on to contest their fighting categories. Green fought well scoring three points for a head kick, but was eventually defeated 4-3, by an older more experienced opponent.

Lane fared a little better. First, she comfortably won gold in the novice category.

She was then invited by the organiser to compete in the advanced category.

Although she did not win, blue belt Lane showed great spirit fighting against black belts opponents.

Next it was time for the more seasoned members of the squad.

Tadley’s Lucas Spiers, Worting’s Anthony Parmar and former St Mary’s pupil Sibi Kumara all contested the boys 12 to 13 years fighting.

Parmar and Kumara were both in the bottom half of the draw.

They dominated their first three fights, leading them to the semi-finals where they faced each other.

Putting friendship aside and giving no quarter they battled hard till the experience of Kumara was declared the winner, so Parmar took the bronze.

Kumara went to the final to go for gold. In a very close fight Kumara was defeated by William Smith of PC Karate giving him a well earned silver.

In the other half of the draw Spiers won his first fight and then faced Smith in the second round.

In an even closer fight than Kumara’s, Spiers executed a throw that would have won him the fight.

It just needed a unanimous decision from the judges. Unfortunately, one judge scored it whilst the other did not.

Finally, Winklebury’s Jim Feighery-Murphy entered both the Men’s heavyweight and Open weight categories.

Despite just coming back after being off with a broken arm for some months Feighery-Murphy fought well to take silver in the heavyweight and bronze in the Open weight.

Coach Kevin McAuslan-Crine said: “I’m both pleased and surprised. For most it’s their first comp back after a break.

“I wasn’t expecting results like this. Specially seeing as some have just moved up to higher categories.”

Su-Ha-Ri Karate School trains at Basingstoke Sports Centre on Fridays, from 6.45pm to 7.45pm and at Tadley Swimming Pool on Wednesdays from 6pm to 7pm.

For more info contact Jon Wicks on 01252 326498 or visit su-ha-ri.co.uk.

l In the photograph, top left: Jim Feighery-Murphy, Kevin Crine Bottom left: Mia Lane, Anthony Parmar, Lexie Green, Lucas Spiers and Sibi Kumara.