By JARROD POTTER
DANDENONG’S Australian Shukokai Karate Academy continues to produce stellar athletes – with Ngaheretia Kingi earning a silver medal at the Australian Karate Federation (AFK) National Championships.
Traveling to Hobart earlier this month, Kingi, 15, from Hampton Park, was narrowly edged into second by New South Wales’s Shana McMahon in the Kumite individual female Cadets +54 category.
Splitting the points 1-1, the judge’s final verdict had McMahon narrowly ahead of Kingi, but the Shukokai fighter is still extremely pleased with her achievement.
A former national champion at 10 years old, Kingi is no stranger to the final match at the championships but finished second on an extremely close decision.
“Faced off against a NSW girl – she’s also my friend, her name is Shana,” Kingi said.
“Faced her and it ended up going 1-1 a draw.
“It went to a flag decision, so I got two flags and she got three.”
Winning three fights to get to the gold medal match – Kingi convincingly won her way to the final and was thrilled to make the final.
“Not being cocky, but it felt normal,” Kingi said.
“I’ve been doing this for so long and I’m always in the finals in that category.
“Still obviously excited though to pick up the silver.”
A dual-Australian Institute of Sport invitee – Kingi’s training and success throughout the last year booked her a spot in the AKF Junior team to compete at the World Junior-Cadet Championships in Guadalajara, Spain, in November.
“Just to get the feel of it – the feel of the Worlds and the experience,” Kingi said.
“Very proud to make the Australian team again – I represented it last year in the Oceania Championships.”
Her coach Sensei Ennio Anselmi said her abilities can produce a high ranking at the world championships – an incredible achievement akin to participating in the Olympics.
“Even if she comes back ranked in the top five fighters, it’s still a big achievement for the simple reason there are 97 countries going,” Anselmi said.
“If you up the top of 97 competitors and you come fifth it’s a very big achievement – it’s the same as the Olympics.
“As long as she goes over and does her best that’s all we ask of her – the hard part was getting chosen as there are so many people in Australia and they’re only taking one per division – so she made it and she’s already a champion.”
Any businesses or individuals interested in sponsoring Kingi’s trio to the world championships in Spain can contact the academy’s sensei Ennio Anselmi on 0404 838 197.
