RISING York karate star Rob Thornham picked up an individual third place at the North-West Open with the rest of the York Kenshinkan Karate Club squad also getting on the podium.

The 17-year-old brown/white belt won his first two fights in the under 21 section convincingly before coming up against Harrogate's Richard Zealand in the quarter finals.

Zealand attempted to sweep Thornham and knocked him off balance, but the follow up punch caught Thornham's nose and drew blood, resulting in a disqualification for Zealand and a place in the semi-finals for Thornham. But the injury was too severe to continue and Thornham had to sit out although still won joint third.

The loss of a team member created a handicap for the remaining York team members and they lost their semi-final to Leeds to also gain a joint third.

Liam O'Grady bowed out of the senior sparring contest at the quarter-final stage after being hit by a superb back kick by eventual winner Nick Heald in an extended sudden death period in the fight of the day.

Lisa Williams got through to the third round of the kata and quarter finals of the sparring competition, and Adam Simpson fought well in the first before going out to England senior team member and eventual finalist Lee Lamb in the second.

Junior Steven Carr reached the quarter-finals of the kata contest and lost in the second round to the eventual under-21 section winner, and chief instructor Rob McCartney - who only qualified as a referee in October was one of the officials.

All five were taking part as a warm-up to the national championships at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on April 24.

Three of the York squad recently got a taste of international action at the KUGB Grand Slam between England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland at Chesterfield.

Williams took third in the women's individual sparring for the Welsh team after being unable to continue following a serious nosebleed, O'Grady missed out on the finals after a close fight with English team mate Matthew Price and 15-year-old Carr fought well as an England Under-21 representative, but bowed out after the first round.

Debut win for Pock's Janine

POCKLINGTON Karate Centre's Janine Rogers has tasted victory in her first-ever competition.

Janine beat more experienced rivals to win the senior traditional Kata coloured belt section at the Yorkshire Karate Championships in Morley.

At 9th Kyu, she was the lowest-graded belt in a section that included purple belt and 4th Kyu rivals but the judges ruled that Janine's Hian Sandan Kata was worthy of a first-place finish.

Hian Sandan is a Kata performed for 7th Kyu grading, which Janine demonstrated with polish and style not usually seen by a 9th Kyu pupil.

Janine's Pocklington team-mate Oliver Willison, who is now a 2nd Dan, competed in the brown and black belt section for 3rd Kyu and Dan grades and finished third.

For more information about karate in Pocklington call 01759 302886 or 07786 332090 or visit the Scout Hut on a Monday night from 7.30pm.

Updated: 09:13 Wednesday, April 07, 2004