Youngsters lead the way for Veras Academy at Leicester tournament

Veras Academy’s youngest competitors achieved a clean sweep at the Leicester Wadokai Open Championships.

Luca Veras – a student at Sacred Heart School, Islington – won the gold medal in the Under-six kumite section, with classmate Jack Gentili-Walsh taking silver and Makhae Rosengrove and Isaac Gibson sharing bronze.

The north London academy collected a total of 25 medals, with four of them – all gold – going to Sanan Aliyev, who took first place in the men’s elite kumite at Under-71kg, Under-76kg and Over-76kg kumite (elite grand), as well as the senior mixed team event.

Luca Veras won another gold medal in the 7-9 years kumite (up to 7th kyu), with Andrew Egbunike and Kayse Nakpodia taking silver and bronze.

Nakpodia also claimed gold in the kata, while Liam Veras took the silver medal in the kata (up to 4th kyu), as well as adding a gold in kumite.

Liam teamed up with his brother Luan and Luke Kavanagh to win the Under-12 team kata, with the latter pair also placing first and second respectively in the 10-12 years boys’ section.

The bronze medal went to Emre Oner, while Daniel Chamoun also took bronze in kumite and Lucienne Brown won silver in the girls’ event. Brown, Chamoun and Luan Veras were also in action in the mixed team kumite, winning silver.

Mette McLarney claimed a silver medal in the women’s Over-35) kata and added a bronze in the kumite, while Jacqui Chamoun took silver and Bernadette Urrutia bronze in the kumite.