Leia-Summer Madden grabs silver in Youth League
The Malta Karate Federation has enjoyed great results in major international competitions, including a gold medal at the Mediterranean Championships.
The local federation sent a contingent of athletes for the 30th Mediterranean Karate Championships in Sardinia last month.
The Malta contingent was formed by one boy and four girls in the kata discipline and four boys and seven girls in the kumite section.
The athletes were under the charge of national team coaches Michelle Vella, Joe Mizzi and Josef Antonelli.
Thyis Antonelli put on a great performance as she managed to win a gold medal in the -66kg junior kumite category.
Francesca Saliba was fifth in the kata junior class.
Antonelli and Leia-Summer Madden travelled to Mexico to take part in the Youth League organised by the World Karate Federation in the city of Cancon.
World’s best
As expected the competition attracted some of the world’s top athletes in the sport.
Both Maltese representatives competed in the Kumite competition with Antonelli registered in the Cadets +61kg class while Madden took part in the -47kg category.
Madden had a strong run in her class as she managed to win the silver medal.
In the first round, Madden had the better of Costa Rica’s Alan Solomon 6-2.
Then, she was up against Mexican Roberta Hernandez Quiroz and eased into the semi-finals with a 7-0 win.
In the semi-finals, Madden outpointed Canada athlete Muthuli Rathnayake 11-8 to proceed to the gold medal match.
Here, Madden faced American Elina Balint who won the final 7-2.
Despite the defeat, it was still a prestigious result, as it was the Malta Karate Federation’s first-ever medal in the U-14 category in the Youth League.
Antonelli had the better of a Mexican fighter 5-0 in the opening round and then overcame her opponent from Chile 5-0.
In the last eight, she faced another Chile athlete and drew the match at 2-2.
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