WSKO Squad attends their 1st International Abroad Championships

Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th October 2015 - Polish International Open, Bielsko Biala, Poland

What an amazing weekend with such a great bunch of people, I have been traveling abroad with the Welsh National Squad for at least 16 years and I can honestly say nothing compares to taking away our own Squad...

Around 35 of us met at Tonyrefail Leisure Centre on the 9th October to be taken by coach to Birmingham Airport..... from there we flew to Poland and stayed in Bielsko Biala, which I can honestly say was very typical of Eastern Europe... The place was grim, the locals were abrupt but this really is the norm....

We are not going for a Holiday, we are there for a 2 day long competition, which I have to say the competition was fantastic, very well run and competitors were of High Standard...

 

I have to say everyone of our Squad fought fantastic and really raised to the occasion, Luke Richards performed excellent Taking Silver, and Bronze.

For the rest of our Squad this was their first truly International Competition and as before it takes time to progress at this next level....

One of the highlights of the competition weekend was our WSKO Junior Team who really did pull everything out.... They fought amazing...

Of course it was also new for our WSKO Officials who really did work hard and learnt so much Officiating at this high level, you all did us proud...

well done to:

Sensei Robert Perkins

Senpai Liam Noyce

Stuart Smith

Robert Ellis

Of course after the Competition the nights were at everyones leisure and as in typical WSKO Style they were BONKERS!!!

Going to bed at 3am in the morning and getting up at 6:30am really isn't good for anyone.....

The Monday morning and afternoon was left once again to everyones leisure, most of us had organised a trip to Auschwitz and Birkenau...

I will only post one of these pictures as we all took loads of pictures but have to say I felt so wrong in doing so...

My visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau...... Well I really cannot put it into words, all I am going to say is I am so glad I have finally had the chance to go and believe everyone at some point of their lives should go and experience what we all saw....

 

Competitors:

Luke Richards

Gerwyn Harries

Daniel C. Rees

Rhys Rowbotham

Ben Thomas

Gabrielle Sibley

Joshua Roberts

Rachel Pugh

Connor Evans

Lucas Evans

Kiera Llewellyn

 

Results:

Luke Richards - Kumite - Silver & Bronze

Gerwyn Harries - Kumite - Bronze

 

Officials:

Gerwyn Harries - Coach

Robert Perkins - Official

Liam Noyce - Official

Robert Ellis - Official

Stuart Smith - Official

 

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