THE Combat Academy have once again taken a large number of medals, this time at the English Contact Karate Association (ECKA) National Championships in Coventry.

The 11 strong team competed across the three disciplines of the competition, semi contact, light continuous and free-form, claiming a total of 20 awards.

Craig Huttel, 13, took the double claiming golds and the national titles in both semi contact and light continuous, while his mum Lisa Huttel took also took home awards.

She took a gold in in Adults Red - Brown Belt Freeform, Silver in Ladies -60kgs Beginner - Purple Belt Light Continuous and Bronze in Ladies -60kgs Beginner - Purple Belt Semi Contact.

Despite already having a hamstring Injury, Chelle Banes secured silvers in both Adults Red – Brown Belt Freeform and Ladies -60kgs Beginner - Purple Belt Semi Contact, but was forced out of the Light continuous due to her injury.

However her success was not finished.

This competition was also the final event in the ECKA Grand Prix ,a series of two ECKA closed competitions and three open competitions held around the country.

Banes’s two silver medals had given her enough points to storm clear and be claim one of the four awards on offer and be crowned the ECKA Adult Novice to Purple Belt Grand Prix Champion.

Following in her mums footsteps, 10 year old Charlotte Banes reached the final of the Girls -5ft Open Grade Semi Contact, but faced an older more experienced opponent and had to settle for the silver.

Kay Parker’s category was merged with the higher grades due to lack of numbers.

Although only being a green belt, this did not deter her or stop her as she managed to defeat a black belt in the early rounds and claim silver medals in both semi contact and light continuous.

The Combat Academy’s Tiny Taz Junior coach Josh Small put in a sterling performance across both semi contact and light continuous disciplines.

He claimed the silver in Boys -5ft Purple – Black Belt light continuous and, after a three-way final ending in a draw in the semi contact, a count back on points still showed a draw and a fight off was forced.

Small was pushed into third place though and had to settle for the bronze.

He was one of only four people selected by the ECKA to fight in a kick light exhibition bout.

Kick light is a non stop kickboxing fight in where combatants use controlled techniques similar to that of light continuous, but are also allowed to deliver kicks to the legs.

After a a very close two round contest against a much older and larger opponent, the fight was declared a draw.

Max Day also secured double silver in both Boys -5ft 4 Beginner - Green Belt semi contact and light continuous divisions, while his father Simon Day took silver in Mens +80kgs Beginner - Purple Belt Semi Contact.

Jamie Baker, competing in the Adults 1st kyu - Black Belt Freeform, took a bronze medal adding to the tally.

The Combat Academy had two teams taking part in the team events and the - 5ft boys and girls team consisting of Josh Small, Craig Huttel and Charlotte Banes defeated the team from Coventry with ease to reach the final.

But a much tougher team from Kingsthorpe were in their way and after a 2-1 loss they claimed the silver.

The Ladies team of Chelle Banes, Kay Parker and Lisa Huttel, also in the final, came up against the team from Bletchley for the title.

Despite Blethley being a much higher graded team with a couple of black belts, Hereford still claimed a win thanks to Lisa Huttel.

But two other victories for Blethley meant Hereford had to settle for a silver medal.

Elsewhere, Theo Day and Williams Richards lost to eventual medallists in their first fights.