KUGB athletes represented England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales at the 2025 European Shotokan Karate-Do Association (ESKA) Championships in Portimão, Portugal, competing alongside teams from across Europe.
Held over three days at the Portimão Arena, the 37th ESKA Championships featured individual and team kata and kumite, with categories spanning Youths through to Veterans.
Athletes from all four Home Nations delivered disciplined and committed performances throughout the weekend, demonstrating the principles of traditional Shobu Ippon karate: decisive technique, strong timing, and clear fighting spirit. Across kata and kumite, the standard of competition was consistently high, reflecting the depth of Shotokan karate within the KUGB.
The teams were supported by their respective Coaches, including England’s Coaches; Sensei Frank Brennan (8th Dan) and Greg Hegarty (6th Dan), Yasmin Geddis (5th Dan) for Northern Ireland, for Scotland Mike Smith (2nd Dan) and Kevin O’Neill (6th Dan) and Simon Thompson (6th Dan) supporting Wales. Their preparation and guidance played a key role throughout the championships.
Reflecting on the championships, Sensei Frank Brennan noted the consistently high standard across all divisions, highlighting the quality of preparation and commitment shown by athletes from every association. He emphasised that the level of performance and the spirit displayed throughout the event demonstrated why Shobu Ippon karate remains strong and continues to develop across Europe. He added “I am very proud of all our KUGB competitors, their commitment, attitude, and preparation throughout the championships was excellent. Congratulation to everyone who competed, especially those who medalled at ESKA 2025. Now the hard work begins as we work towards ESKA 2026!”
ESKA 2025 once again provided a valuable international platform for KUGB athletes to test themselves against Europe’s best, gaining experience, confidence, and exposure at the highest level of competition.
Congratulations to all competitors who represented their Home Nations with commitment and determination.
Rojin Rafie – Gold
Jade Stapleton-Smith – Silver
Ethan Armstrong – Bronze
England – Bronze (l-r Rebecca Adie, Evie Newman, Rojin Rafie, Nicole Janowicz)
Megan Fox – Bronze
Azhin Rafie – Silver
