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Home / Whanganui Chronicle / Sport

Kids transform to fighters

By Jared Smith
Sports Editor·Whanganui Chronicle·
30 Sep, 2013 05:38 PM3 mins to read

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The Japan Karate Association Wanganui team which travelled to Melbourne last week: Mike Smith (left), Arapeta Latus, Breeana Phillips, Adele Thurlow, Grace Thurlow, Natasha McKee. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY 300913WCBRCMORN02

The Japan Karate Association Wanganui team which travelled to Melbourne last week: Mike Smith (left), Arapeta Latus, Breeana Phillips, Adele Thurlow, Grace Thurlow, Natasha McKee. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY 300913WCBRCMORN02

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They have been under her care since they were 7-year-olds running around in their karate gi learning how to kick and Natasha McKee's teenaged students finally came of age in Melbourne last weekend.

McKee, the Japan Karate Association Wanganui coach, took four of her students and fellow instructor Mike Smith to the Australian Spring National Seminar and Competition, held on September 22 at the Maroondah Indoor Sports Centre.

The Wanganui students competed against clubs from around Australia.

Split into two parts, the first part of the weekend before the Sunday events was training and seminars, during which McKee and Smith were granted higher level instructor licences.

Smith would also receive his 2nd dan black belt.

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But the fruits of McKee's labours were seen the following day when all four of the Wanganui students were upgraded to 1st dan black belt and three of them earned medals.

The star was Breeana Phillips, 13, as the Wanganui Girls College student won gold in both the 13-year Girls Cutter and the Kumite (sparring).

Cutter is a pre-arranged individual routine, while for sparring the combatants wear mitts and mouthguards scoring points for kicks and blows to certain areas like the jaw and solar plexus.

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"They actually do have to hit hard to score.

"Emphasis is on technique and speed, power and accuracy on target," said McKee.

Five judges decide the winner.

In a field of around 10, the silver medallist in both events was Phillips' clubmate, Adele Thurlow, the 13-year-old from Wanganui Collegiate.

"We were just better, and good coaching," said Phillips.

It proved a family affair as Thurlow's older sister Grace, 15, from Wanganui High School, won bronze in the Cutter for the combined Girls 15-17 year division.

The fourth member of the team to earn his black belt in the Boy's 13-14 grade was Arapeta Latus, 13, who attends Wanganui City College where the students all train at the school gym.

As a teacher at City College, back in the day McKee had been running karate classes for secondary school students when colleagues suggested to her she should start by taking on interested youngsters.

McKee has taught this group for the past seven years.

"It was quite a transformation when I took on young kids, from teenagers."

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She was proud her students had put in a lot of extra training to go to Australia, wanting to follow her when they learned she was going there for her instructor grading.

The teenagers are now setting their sights on a "friendly" tournament being held in Auckland in November, and the following month they will host a regional tournament on their home turf.

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