MARTIAL ARTS
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A huge team of 38 competitors from Pollet's Martial Arts Centre travelled to Bathurst recently to take part in the club's national championships.
The team of students, which ranged from four years old and up, walked away with 60 trophies, 23 of which were first place results.
"Not only is this the biggest team we have taken away, but I believe it is the best quality team we have taken to competition," Sensei Matt March said.
It was an action-packed day from the start with Dubbo's nine Little Tigers starting off the competition.
These little powerhouses competed all day with outstanding results.
Brothers Hayden and Jacob Hawker won two seconds and a third in Grappling and Point Sparring.
Six-year-old Aiden Crump snatched up a first in Grappling, second in Kata and third in Point Sparring while five-year-old Owen Cuthill fought an amazing four times to take out his Koshiki division.
Siblings Millah, Maverick and BJ Hutchins came away with a trailer full of wins with two firsts, three seconds and a third between them.
First time competitor Lachlan Hangan competed incredibly well and placed third in the Little Tigers division.
The junior competitors put in an impressive showing across all divisions.
The competition was tough with an incredibly high standard but the Dubbo students took it all in their stride and showed the judges what they were made of.
Jacob Fieldson took out first place in Kata and third in point sparring while Ella Matthews took on an experienced fighter and placed second in both point sparring and Koshiki.
Connah Matthews dominated his opponent in Koshiki, taking the win and he placed second in grappling, while Leizeyah Knowles came second in Muay Thai after taking on a highly experienced opponent.
Daniel Horder took out his Koshiki division and went on to dominate the Muay Thai sparring.
William Cuthill had a hard day of competition fighting eight times over two divisions to walk away with first in Koshiki and second in Point Sparring. Mikala Bender competed in Point Sparring for the first time and came away with 2nd place.
Vimbainashe Chitsunge has only been training for seven months and won a first, second and third in grappling and No-Gi grappling while brothers Max and Jack Collins brought home a second place finish in Point Sparring and a third in Kata.
Isabella Heinrich performed a beautiful Kata and won her division, and Makaah Darcy competed in five events and walked away with a first in Kata,Weapons and Koshiki she placed second in point sparring.
The senior students from the team turned out to be no match for the competition in their respective divisions.
Sempai Nick Owens took out the open men's No-Gi grappling division with Irirangi Ranga and Jamie Crump coming in second and third.
Iririangi also placed third in grappling and Jamie also placed second in grappling.
Local fighter Brad Colley took the title in both No-Gi grappling and grappling.
Luke Jenkins, a first-time competitor, placed third in grappling and went on to devastate his opponent in Muay Thai.
Karate competitor Andrew Heinrich fought against much larger opponents in Koshiki and came away with second place, he also placed second in Kata.
Brad Croxon took out his grappling division and also placed third in No-Gi.
Nathaniel O'Brien-Pyke is a long time student who was competing for the first time, he placed first in his grappling division.
The senior women were impressive in the Jiu jitsu with Merianne Kellermeier winning two grappling divisions and a No-Gi grappling division.
Ashleigh Crump took on grappling for the first time and placed second.
April Cuthill entered in three division and placed second in Kata, point sparring and Koshiki, and seasoned competitor Tammy Hulak took out first place in Kata and weapons and went on to place second in the open weapons division.