FROM Orange to Brazil, there’s not a martial arts tournament the Pollet’s Martial Arts Centre isn’t blitzing at the moment.
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Flying across the Pacific to Curitiba, Brazil, to compete in the World Karate Organisation’s eighth World Championship, the strong Pollet’s contingent, led by hanshi Ian Pollet, team captain Angelique Pollet and sensei Jason Puxty, shone against 20 of the strongest martial arts countries in the world.
In total, 15 gold medals, eight silver and five bronze were won at the event, signalling the team’s ability as world class.
“The results were absolutely outstanding,” Puxty said.
“It’s such a feeling of pride that students from Orange and Bathurst can compete with, and win against students from the rest of the world.
“It motivates us to training even harder and importantly to want to share that training with as many students as we can.”
The world championships were held on November 21 and 22 in Brazil, and prior to the tournament the squad took part in a two-day training camp in Chile before taking on kata, kumite (point fighting) and kubodo (weapons) competition divisions.
It was a move that proved very fruitful.
Leading the way for the school’s Orange dojo, sempai Lachlan Campbell claimed gold, silver and bronze, Ben Puxty two silvers and a bronze, Jess Puxty a gold and silver, Harry Puxty won gold, silver and bronze medals, while Nichole Puxty claimed gold and then silver in the open division.
Pollet, too, shone. The veteran instructor won gold in the kubodo senior black belt division, in the kumite senior black belt division and then in the kumite senior open division.
He backed up his three golds with silver in the kata - champion of champions - black belt.
“Our head teacher, hanshi Ian Pollet lead the way with his outstanding results, and these were followed by the students,” Jason Puxty continued.
In other martial arts news from the school, Sarah Wright shone at the Australasian International Sports Karate Association World Cup in Sydney, claiming gold in the kata and silver in the jujitsu over the weekend.