Published: 9 November, 2012
by STEVE BARNETT

THEY might not have struck gold, but martial artists from the Veras Academy can still be extremely proud of their efforts at the British International Open Karate Championships.

A team of nine fighters from the club, which regularly hold sessions in Camden and Islington, returned from Glasgow with a silver and six bronze medals to add to their already bulging trophy cabinet.

In the individual events, Luca Veras, five, had plenty of reason to celebrate as he capped his first ever competition by scooping silver in the boys’ five to six years kata.

In the boys’ under-14s kata Domantas Stankus, 12, bagged a bronze, a feat repeated by team-mate Charlie Hussey, 14, in the disability kata open category. Sanan Aliev also collected bronze in the senior-67kg category.

Seniors Shaida Khaliq, 42, and Andrius Stankus, 17, were both unlucky to miss out on medals after putting in great performances in their individual contests.

In the boys’ under-10s team events Luan and Liam Veras and Emre Oner joined forces to capture a bronze in both the kata and fight team categories. Brothers Luan, eight, and Liam, seven, also secured bronze in the pairs kata competition.

For more info about the sessions held in Camden and Islington email info@verasacademy.co.uk