PENARTH Leisure Centre hosted the Welsh Karate League on Sunday, September 28, with participants travelling from across the UK.

Around 500 male and female competitors took part with entries ranging from under 8s to veterans, in both the Kata and Kumite categories.

There were 25 competitors, ranging from wheelchair users to people with Learning Disabilities, competing in a range of categories in the disability section of the league, which runs alongside the mainstream competitions.

Simon Jones, Disability Sport Wales Development Officer for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “I think it’s brilliant that disabled competitors are included in the Welsh Karate League. The numbers taking part in a competitive setting is also something for the Welsh Karate League to be proud of.”

Disabled participants perform the Kata style of karate, which involves detailed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. These movements can be adapted to suit each participant, then they face off against an opponent in a safe and controlled environment.

Rob Copeland, President of Karate Wales, said: “Clubs all over the country are attending with ever growing squads as a culture of attending a friendly, regular and professional competition structure has embraced Karate in Wales.

As well as a marked and continuing improvement in the standard of our young competitors, it is also very gratifying to see our Special Needs and Wheelchair Users categories bustling.

As Karate Wales’ reputation as a vibrant and high quality Governing body grows, we are also welcoming more and more visitors from outside Wales to the Welsh Karate League, which in turn helps to test and further develop our Welsh competitors.”