MALDON Higashi Karate Club and National squad member Adele Blanke competed at the EKKA karate competition at Ipswich as she continued to gain valuable experience in her build-up to the English Karate Kyu grade Championships in January.

The 11-year-old was competing in the eighth to sixth Kyu mixed kata and Girls Kumite sections.

In the mixed kata, she was placed joint third for bronze and only lost out to the eventual winner.

In the girls' individual Kumite (fighting), the bouts were set at the first to score six points to win and Blanke showed great composure and determination to come back from two points down in the semi-final and then again in the final.

The final proved to be a tense and very competitive match with time running out, but at 5-4 down, she showed great skill in securing the last two points of the match to take a well deserved gold.