HAITO Karate’s three Kata competitors are continuing their preparations for the 3rd Eastern European Open Championships & Martial Arts Festival in Bulgaria. On Saturday, Jacob Barker, Rebeka Pulina and Simas Jucevicius travelled to Derby Kyokushin Karate for a “Mini Midlands Kata Squad” training session led by Shihan Andy Rotherham.
The session brought together students from Derby Kyokushinkai Karate, Oakham Kyokushinkai Karate Club, High Peak Kyokushin and HAITO Karate. With the championships approaching, it was an opportunity for the athletes to practise the kata they plan to perform in competition and receive detailed feedback.
Focused Kyokushin Kata training
Throughout the session, the group worked through their competition kata with close attention to technique and presentation. Shihan Andy broke down individual movements, including throws and jumps, and gave technical corrections to help the competitors refine their performances.
Kata demands more than remembering a sequence of movements. Each technique needs control, timing and purpose. Working through the finer details in a focused squad setting gave Jacob, Rebeka and Simas clear points to take back into their training at HAITO.
Training alongside athletes from other clubs also gave our competitors the chance to learn from different approaches and practise in an environment shaped around competition. We are proud of the effort they put into the session and the commitment they are showing as they prepare for Bulgaria.
Preparing for the Eastern European Open Championships
Jacob will compete in Kata for nine-year-olds, while Rebeka and Simas will compete in their respective junior Kata categories. Rebeka and Simas are also preparing to compete in Kumite as part of HAITO’s five-athlete team travelling to Bulgaria.
This Derby session was another valuable step in their preparations. We would like to thank Shihan Andy Rotherham and Derby Kyokushin Karate for bringing the clubs together and sharing their knowledge. Well done to every athlete who took part. OSU! 🥋
Help HAITO athletes get to Bulgaria
Thank you to everyone who has already supported our students’ travel costs. Every donation, whatever the amount, helps them take part in this international opportunity. If you would like to contribute, please visit our Bulgaria team fundraiser. ❤️