Karate: Local clubs in big medal haul

The group after their competitions. Coach Craig Nordstrand (back left), D'Artagnan Gould, Imogen Ear, Cameron Sear, Teuarangi Tana, Shane Tregidga; Roland Fewtrell (front left), Tristan Fewtrell, Kingiteahuahu Tana, Jack Hudson, Luke Hudson, Kevin Chi.

Whangarei karate clubs Miyagi Kan and Shitokai have won big at the Karate Nationals.

The clubs won 25 medals at the Wellington competition.

They also secured seven places on the national team to represent New Zealand at the Oceania Champs in New Caledonia in September.

Miyagi Kan have six students to represent NZ and Shitokai have one.

The nationals included a separate secondary schools competition in the same weekend and medals combined.

Miyagi Kan won 18 medals and Shitokai earned seven medals.

However the biggest story to come from the nationals was for Miyagi Kan having one of their students selected for the first time to go to the WKF World Karate Championships held in Linz, Austria, in three months time.

Shane Tregidga will be Miyagi Kan's first senior student selected for the World Championships. He was announced at the nationals as a NZ rep in the Male Under 84kg Kumite (fighting) division and also in the Senior Male Team Kumite.

Tregidga will also be going to the Oceania championships with five of his clubmates: Cousins Cameron Sear and Imogen Ear, brother and sister Kingiteahuahu and Teurarangi Tana, and D'Artagnan Gould.

Sear, Ear, Gould and Tregidga have represented New Zealand in the past.

Shitokai's Olivia Crum was also selected for the Oceanias.

Miyagi Kan club Sensei Craig Nordstrand says it is exciting to have so many of his students representing New Zealand.

"They've worked really hard for it and it is paying off. It's really fantastic to see Whangarei out there representing New Zealand on the world stage, with both Whangarei clubs having NZ reps," he added.