Rosetown Karate Club shines with 13 medals at fall tournament

EAGLE STAFF

Rosetown Karate Club members won 13 medals at the Saskatchewan Karate Association fall tournament here on Nov. 8.

Greg Leonard (R) of Harris and a member of the Rosetown Karate Club takes part in a kumite event against an unidentified opponent at the close of the Saskatchewan Karate Association fall tournament. Leonard won here and also won the adult male novice class. Photo by David McIver

Thirteen members of the host Rosetown Karate Club took part in the Saskatchewan Karate Association fall tournament here on Nov. 8. Most, holding certificates of participation, were available at classes on Thursday: Aanya Haider (front, L), Beau Fullerton, Ezekiel Ragragio, Olli Wade, Anastasia Fullerton; (middle) Paige Mosicki, Aryan Haider, Manha Rahman and (back) Jordan Merrifield; missing Greg Leonard and Racel Bolur. Photo by David McIver

Jordan Merrifield won bronze medals in the kata and kumite events in the female 14-17 advanced class.

Greg Leonard of Harris won a gold medal in the kumite event in the adult male novice class.

Manha Haider won a silver medal in kumite and a bronze in kata in the female 14-17 intermediate class.

Aryan Haider won a silver in kata and a bronze in kumite in the male 11-13 intermediate class.

In the female 10-and-under intermediate class, Paige Mosicki won the silver medal in kumite, and Aanya Haider won the bronze medal in kata.

Racel Bolur, of the Saskatoon Traditional Shotokan Club, run under the auspices of the Rosetown club, won a silver medal in kumite in the male 10-and-under intermediate class.

Anastasia Fullerton won silver medals in kata and kumite in the female 9-10 novice class.

Ezekiel Ragragio won the gold medal in kata in the male 6-8 novice class.

Leonard, who won despite breaking a toe during the tournament, had wanted to learn karate for a long time and now, at 37, he’s finally doing it, he said after the tournament.

“I’ve always had an interest in it since I was a kid—well, forever,” said Leonard. “So in my 30s, I finally decided I wanted to try it for real. I’ve been doing it for the last two years now.”

Overall participation by member clubs was about normal for the fall tournament, which doesn’t usually have the turnout of the association’s spring tournament due to being early in the season, said Rosetown club chief instructor Dave Smith.