FOUR of the Great Britain squad who retained the World Karate Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham are students of the Kimura Karate School run at Boughton Monchelsea Primary School near Maidstone.

Morney Kriel, Gemma Bramwell, Katie Simpson and Daniel Williams, are all taught by Sensei Archie Grassom who runs the club, and all were among the medals.

Morney Kriel helped win gold in the men’s fighting team and finished fourth in the men’s individual Kata (forms). Gemma Bramwell was a silver medalist in the 16 to 17 girls fighting age group and Katie Simpson took silver in the 14 to 15 age category. Daniel Williams won silver in the boys 10 to 11 age group for individual fighting.

The students will soon start their preparations for the European Championships in Berlin 2003 and the next World Championships in 2004 when they will travel to Cape Town in South Africa, to defend their title.