A week packed full of sport karate training, budo training and seminars at the annual Shotokan Week seminar culminated with a silver medal for local karate Instructor, David Rush, at the Shotokan Karate International Australia (SKIA) National Championships last weekend in Queensland.
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This result, added with Rush’s multiple gold medal performances in other competitions throughout the year, has earned him his 4th consecutive Australian team selection.
He will join other SKIA members selected from all over Australia to compete at the 2019 World Shotokan Karate Championships in the Czech Republic next July.
About 230 karate practitioners, instructors, referees, judges, and fighters gathered each day at the Matthew Flinders Anglican College in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast to train with special guest Instructors Syuseki-Shihan (International Chief Instructor), Manabu Murakami (8th Dan Black Belt) and Honbu Dojo International Instructor, Sensei Daizo Kanazawa (6th Dan).
David Rush said although the training schedule was really quite full-on, all the attendees came away with a lot of new knowledge and improved technical skills to practise.
“In addition to karate training, there were a range of state, national, technical and development, and referees clinic meetings so the daily program was really packed,” Rush said.
As usual, the entire seminar was followed by Black Belt (Dan) examinations and culminated with the SKIA National Karate Championships on the final day. There were about 140 competitors vying for glory and Australian Team selection on the final day of Shotokan Week.
At the farewell party on the Saturday night, 45 karate competitors were selected with some really talented players in the group where the ages ranged from 12 to 60.
Rush put in a strong effort winning silver in the final of the Masters Kumite (50 years + fighting) against Sensei Paul Fenech (5th Dan) from Sydney in a feisty match that most spectators thought could go either way.
Rush also placed 4th in the Masters Kata (forms), where the top five in a group of 10 competitors were very close indeed.
Training for the Australian Team members will now ramp up even further with more training camps, tournaments and squad training sessions as part of the lead-up to the World Shotokan Karate Championships next year.
After a few days of rest, Rush will resume his own training and will also resume teaching at the local club based in Nowra where new members are always welcome. Visit: www.southcoastkarate.com.au.