Karate athletes from Inverness win 18 medals at major competition
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Vilis Forstmanis led Karate Alba to 18 medals – including seven golds – at the Cumbrian Open Junior Championships in Penrith last weekend.
Forstmanis, who was named child of courage at Highland Heroes last Friday, made the journey south the following morning and won gold in the para event in front of around 400 people.
The weekend would get even better for the family, though, as sister Enija was also in action and won her first gold medal.
Three of the club’s nine-year-olds were also successful in their categories. Ailish Bethune helped the medal haul along with two golds to her name.
Amy MacLennan and Arianna Fraser also stood at the top of the podium, as did Finn McDonnell – a seven-year-old who has triumphed at all four competitions he has entered.
As well as those seven gold medals for the club, there were also six silver and five bronze medals to celebrate.
Leo Erdmanis – fresh off the back of a bronze medal in Sweden the week before – went one step higher in Penrith.
He was joined in earning runners-up spots by Eliza Higgins, Luca Di Candia, Jack Southern, Leo Korzepa and Walker Webster.
Among the bronze medal winners was a familiar face, as Finn McDonnell earned a second medal to go along with his earlier gold to double up on hardware from Cumbria.
Also winning bronze medals were Troy Van Ee, Sophie Shevchenko and Cameron Bethune.
Sensei Dolina Ross was delighted with the performances of every single one of Karate Alba’s athletes, even those who did not win a medal, saying they gained experience and determination for next time.
