Kent Karate Athlete Wins Bronze At National Championships

22-year-old Jasmine Pomeroy from Pluckley, Kent won bronze at the Karate English National Championships in Leicester on Sunday.

Jasmine, former Karate English champion, competed in the individual senior weight category -68kg and in the team kumite winning the bronze in both. Out of eight fights, she won seven and lost one.

Her club, Ken Bu Kan part of the karate association, WIKF England topped the medal table out of 58 other clubs.

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Jasmine said: “I was upset to miss out on the finals of both but it’s not so bad I guess after an injury”

The athlete underwent foot surgery for osteoarthritis in November but returned to competing in February.

Jasmine started the sport at the age of six and trains in and around London four times a week as well as doing other training like strength and conditioning. At competition peak times she trains up to twice a day. She has been a part of the national squad for eight years and has competed internationally, most recently in Austria. She is also studying for her masters in Forensic Osteology and Field Recovery Methods at the University of Kent.

Dale Gamble, Chief Referee said: “This was the second year that the Championships were held in Leicester, which was picked as a venue , because we could showcase the competitors in finals at the end of each day. The idea behind this is to put pressure on the competitors and referees  and better prepare everyone , when they compete and officiate in Europe, thus replicating European championships.”

Jasmine will be competing in the WIFK European championships in July in Portugal and said:

“I’m really excited for this competition. I want to better my silver medal I won at the WIKF World championships last year by winning the Europeans. I also can’t wait to fight alongside my team mates in the team Kumite (fighting) event to hopefully take home the gold”.