MALDON Higashi Karate Club competed at the Elkai Open Championships, at Brunel University.

Their squad members were Alex Curtis, Joe Fox, Connor and Ryan Hutchings, Jess Leach and Adele Blanke.

They ended the day with an excellent tally of two golds, five silvers and four bronzes, which was a great achievement.

Youngest squad member Blanke got the medal rush underway in the mixed individual Kata fourth kyu ten to 12 years.

Competing in the purple belt and under section, she won through the rounds and took silver in the final.

Connor and Ryan Hutchings then won gold and bronze respectively in the mixed third kyu brown belt and above kata 13 to 15 years old.

Leach made it another gold in the third kyu brown belt and above mixed kata for 16 to 17 year olds.

In the junior team kata, Fox, Curtis and Blanke took bronze in the open junior team kata.

In the Kumite (fighting) sections, Blanke took bronze in the girls' 11 to 12 all grades and Curtis bronze in the boys' 11 to 12 all grades.

Connor fought well through to the boys' 13 to 15 all grades final and only just lost out in an excellent final against a very experienced opponent and finished with the silver.

Leach then reached the female cadets final and again was up against a very tough opponent and finished with a hard-fought silver.

The final events of the day were the team kumite.

Blanke was part of the Higashi girls' team and they took a hard-fought silver but all put on excellent displays.

Connor and Ryan had to take on a strong Elkai team in the boys' event.

They they had to forfeit one fight as they were only two against three.

The teams then have to select the order that each fighter will compete in from fighter one to three.

Maldon elected to forfeit the first fight and therefore were 1-0 down with a eight-point loss recorded against them.

However, this tactic took out their opponent's strongest fighter.

This then meant Connor and Ryan would need to win both remaining bouts.

Connor quickly found his range and took the fight to his opponent and levelled the match at one win all.

The final fight was fought with excellent spirit from both fighters, with Ryan needing to win by just one point and his opponent defending most of the bout.

Ryan just couldn't quite get that deciding score and it finished a draw with the twins having to settle for the silver in a great final.