59th KUGB National Championships
The 59th KUGB National Championships took place on Saturday 9th May 2026 at the David Ross Sports Village, University of Nottingham, bringing together competitors from across Great Britain and Ireland for one of the highlights of the KUGB calendar.
Held during the KUGB’s 60th anniversary year, the Championships once again showcased the exceptional standard of Shotokan Karate within the Association. Throughout the day, competitors of all ages demonstrated outstanding technical ability, determination and sportsmanship in both kata and kumite. With family, friends, coaches and volunteers supporting the day, this created a fantastic atmosphere from start to finish.
The KUGB extends its sincere thanks to every competitor, coach, referee, judge, time-keeper, recorder and supporter whose efforts helped make this year’s Championships another memorable success.
Great Britain vs Italy
One of the highlights of this year’s Championships was the opportunity to welcome an Italian team, led by Sensei Campari, who travelled to Nottingham to take part in two friendly exhibition matches against a Great Britain team led by KUGB Technical Lead and KUGB England Squad Coach, Sensei Frank Brennan.
The exhibition matches provided a fantastic display of high-level karate and reflected the friendship and mutual respect shared between both organisations. The KUGB would like to thank Sensei Campari and the Italian team for making the journey to join us and we look forward to welcoming them again in the future.
Sensei Campari, the Italy team and the KUGB Technical Committee.
Long Standing Member Awards
The National Championships also provided the opportunity to recognise members reaching significant milestones through the KUGB’s Long Standing Member Awards.
These annual awards recognise members whose commitment, loyalty and dedication have supported the Association over many years. During this year’s presentations, awards were made to members celebrating 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 years of continuous membership.
Particularly fitting during the KUGB’s 60th anniversary year was the presentation of 60 Year Long Standing Member Awards to Sensei Terry O’Neill and Sensei Ian MacLaren . To celebrate sixty years of membership during the Association’s own sixty year anniversary is a truly remarkable achievement and reflects a lifetime of dedication to Shotokan Karate and the KUGB.
KUGB Chairman Sensei John Bruce presenting 60 Year Long Standing Member Awards to Sensei Terry O’Neill and Sensei Ian MacLaren.
20 Years
- Yasar Ahmad
- David Craggs
- Graham Moor
- Phillip Nichols
- Anthony Spencer
- Edward Somers
- Kyle Watkin
- Daniel Woodward
30 Years
- Rebecca Ashcroft
- John Bell
- Anthony Collins
- Chris Luecke
- John Lowe
- Calum O’Neill
- Sue Rugg
- Susan Thompson
- Gordon Wilson
40 Years
- Mark Blanche
- Andrew Dillon
- Brian Fotheringham
- Michael Jones
- Josephine MacLaren
- Rob McCartney
- Peter Marchant
- Philip Marshall-Thomas
- Richard Naylor-Jones
- Paul Parry
- John Rogerson
- Stephen Vallance
- Raynor Wells
50 Years
- Bernard Bark
- Anthony Irvine
- Michael Johnstone
- Kevin O’Neill
- Steven Peters
- Lindsay Welsh
60 Years
- Ian MacLaren
- Terry O’Neill
Special awards
Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the special awards, awarded by Sensei Frank Brennan.
Charles Naylor Memorial Trophy
Most Outstanding Competitor Under 16
- Amandeep Singh – Solihull Karate Academy
Derek Langham Trophy
Most Outstanding Competitor Aged 16–20
- Grace Snowdon – Sendai Kushiro
Sensei Enoeda Trophy
Most Outstanding Competitor Over 21
- Ethan Armstrong – Leeds
Bob Poynton Trophy
Most Outstanding Performance
- Thomas Hegarty – Solihull Karate Academy
Competition Results
Children’s individual Kata
Girls 4th Kyu & Below
- Aylah Rebwar Saleh – St Johns
- Kalinka Fadrowska – Solihull Karate Academy
- Radha Champaneri – Solihull Karate Academy
- Minerva Gilbert – Chelmsford
Girls 3rd–1st Kyu
- Yakeen Al Dan Dan – St Johns
- Maria Koutsoukos – Leeds
- Sophie Grant – Stock
- Shantana Tan – USKFI
Girls Black Belt
- Azhin Rafie – Sendai Kushiro
- Sofia Zarifi – Sendai Kushiro
- Naina Kurup – Sendai Kushiro
- Emelia Fox – St Johns
Boys 4th Kyu & Below
- Harshith Govinath – St Johns
- Toby Lucas-Levitt – Chelmsford
- Joseph Hegarty – Solihull Karate Academy
- Martin Dimitrov – Kirkby
Boys 3rd–1st Kyu
- Sid Harry – East Devon
- Henry Doyle – Chelmsford
- Jamie Taylor – Leeds
- Henry Rickett – Sendai Kushiro
Boys Black Belt
- Amandeep Singh – Solihull Karate Academy
- Archie Jones – St Johns
- Zain Steers – Solihull Karate Academy
- Aadhrit Gahloth – Shotokan Karate Academy
Children’s Ippon Kumite
4th Kyu & Below
1. Aylah Rebwar Saleh – St Johns
2. Toby Lucas-Levitt – Chelmsford
3. Jamie Quigley – Kirkby
3. Dasha Kovtovich – Regashi Karate Academy
3rd Kyu & Above
1. Erica Abbott – Chelmsford
2. Finlay Stubbs – Kokoro
3. Jai Dhanani – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Savio Thomson
Children’s Individual Kumite
Girls 10–11 Years
1. Elsie Williams – Sendai Kushiro
2. Yakeen Al Dan Dan – St Johns
3. Maya Arvanitaki – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Aiya Steers – Solihull Karate Academy
Girls 12–13 Years
1. Olivia Bakun – Leeds
2. Sophie Lam – Kirkby
3. Preslava Dimitrov – Kirkby
3. Sophie Grant – Stock
Girls 14–15 Years
(Sponsored by Knight Karate Club Portsmouth)
1. Finja Weinzierl – Sendai Kushiro
2. Laoise Berwick – USKFI
3. Naina Kurup – Sendai Kushiro
3. Crystal Tauro – USKFI
Boys 10–11 Years
(Sponsored by Elyse Shotokan Karate Academy)
1. Clark Wan – Leeds
2. Ronav Selvaraj – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Luke Rumbold – Largs
3. Will Shepherd – Kirkby
Boys 12–13 Years
1. Louis Ip – Solihull Karate Academy
2. Dawud Zarifi – Sendai Kushiro
3. Adam Dahsulja – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Vihaan Thakor – Leeds
Boys 14–15 Years
(Sponsored by Bus Stop Toy Shop)
1. Amandeep Singh – Solihull Karate Academy
2. Zain Steers – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Leo Farr – Merthyr Tydfil Shotokan Karate Academy
3. Olly Hayward – Solihull Karate Academy
Team Kata
Children’s
- Sendai Kushiro A
- Solihull Karate Academy
- Chelmsford A
- Sendai Kushiro B
Adult
- Sendai Kushiro
- Solihull Karate Academy
- USKF Ireland
- Chelmsford
Individual Kata
Mens SENIOR
(SPONSORED BY LUMINARY)
- Alexander Lockett – Chelmsford
- Alex Cockx – Shotokan Karate Academy
- Andrew Mills – Zanshin N.I.
- Thomas Hegarty – Solihull Karate Academy
Womens SENIOR
(Sponsored by Ashington Shotokan Karate Club)
- Grace Snowdon – Sendai Kushiro
- Megan Fox – Sendai Kushiro
- Evie Newman – Solihull Karate Academy
- Ava Coulthard – Sendai Kushiro
Mixed Veteran
- Vicky Phillips – Shotokan Karate Academy
- Nilu Samarasinghe – Evolution
- Amina Kasar – Shotokan Karate Academy
- Rosie Lau – Shotokan Karate Academy
Individual Kumite
Womens 16–20
(SPONSORED BY DONNA ROBERTS)
1. Rojin Rafie – Sendai Kushiro
2. Taryn Langley – St Johns
3. Evie Newman – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Nicole Janowicz – Kirkby
Mens Junior 16–17
1. Jason Curran – USKFI
2. Aaron Smyth – USKFI
3. Noah Warwick – Kirkby
3. Killian Berwick – USKFI
Mens Junior 18–20
(Sponsored by Evolution)
1. Luke Curnyn – Kirkby
2. Matthew Johnston – Zanshin N.I.
3. Jake Roberts – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Alexander Lockett – Chelmsford
Womens Senior
(Sponsored by Wendy Goodbarn)
1. Emma Lloyd – Solihull Karate Academy
2. Destiny Osunde – St John’s
3. Liberty Vernon – Leeds
3. Rebecca Adie – Sendai Kushiro
Mens Senior
(Sponsored by Zanshin N.I.)
1. Ethan Armstrong – Leeds
2. Thomas Hegarty – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Niall Gilligan – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Bradley Barker – Kirkby
Team Kumite
Womens
1. Solihull Karate Academy
2. Sendai Kushiro
3. Chelmsford
3. Kirkby
Mens
(Sponsored by USKF Ireland)
1. Leeds
2. Solihull Karate Academy
3. Kirkby
3. USKF Ireland
The KUGB congratulates every competitor who took part in the 59th National Championships, together with all medal winners, trophy recipients and Long Standing Member Award recipients.
Our thanks also go to the referees, judges, table officials, volunteers, coaches, instructors and supporters whose commitment ensured another successful National Championships.
Our timekeepers and recorders
Our referees and judges
Finally, we extend our sincere appreciation to Sensei Campari and the Italian team for joining us during the KUGB’s 60th anniversary year and contributing to a memorable celebration of international friendship through Shotokan Karate.
