Samurai Minimon Teams 2011 – Results

On Sunday 10 April we took Jack, Wiktor, Brandon and Marija to Samurai Minimon Team Championships in Kidderminster they were part of four teams that were representing Nottingham. We arrived at 9.00am and almost straight away Jack, Wiktor and Brandon had their first fights. Wiktor lost his fight which meant jack and Brandon had to win their fights for a team victory which they did, Brandon won his fight after 3 minutes it was evenly matched fight after 2 minutes Brandon was down by a waza-ari and came back with a fast tai-otoshi which was given Ippon. Jack was next he won his fight in 40 seconds with a nice harai-goshi which also was given ippon.

The trio now had one more contest to win to put them in the semi-finals; it was getting very tense the crowd was cheering for each other. Wiktor was called up for his fight, the fight lasted 2 minutes which Wiktor dominated trying throws but just could not get a score so Wiktor tried an o-goshi which worked, Ippon! Brandon was next up, he won his fight in 20 seconds with a nice osoto-otoshi. This meant that the team was through to the semi finals but Jack had to fight still. It was an even fight lasting nearly 3 minutes which he won by scoring ippon just before the end of the contest. This meant that they were now in the semi finals and would fight the team that finished second in the other pool.

The boys were called up to the mat for our fights to begin. Wiktor’s contest lasted the full 3 minutes in which he was thrown in the first couple on minutes which scored a yuko, after that score the other player held off which stopped Wiktor going in for throws, therefore the initial yuko score was enough for Wiktor’s opponent to claim victory. This now meant that Jack and Brandon had to win their fights to get the team into the final. Brandon was up and he won his fight in 20 seconds again with a tai-otoshi. Jack was up next and the team were counting on this fight, Jack tried his hardest to get a throw but unluckily he lost the fight. Even though this loss meant that the team did not make the final it was enough to secure them a bronze place which we were proud of.

Now it was Marija and her team up next her team was in a pool 5 which meant who ever won the most amount of fights (4) would win Gold. Marija had an older and heavier opponent first which Marija dominated, she attacked scored a yuko and then went to the ground but her opponent turned her and got a hold down on her which unfortunately lost her the fight. Her teammates both won their contests securing the first win for her team.

Marija was getting ready for her next fight and she was called up this time her opponent was more her size and weight but still would be a hard fight. Marija got straight into the fight and scored a yuko but then her opponent scored a waza-ari but Marija came back with 2 waza-ari’s using tani- otoshi which won her the fight. Again Marija’s teammates both won their contests and another team win.

Marija’s next contest was her penultimate fight which lasted a whole 2 seconds using a strong and fast ko-ouchi-gake Marija scored an ippon! Her teammates followed suit and secured a third win. This meant that Marija’s team had to win one more contest to secure the gold medal.

Marija was called to her final fight she threw her opponent using tani-otoshi which was given a waza-ari but then her opponent also scored a waza-ari which meant the fight finished in a draw. All Marija need now was her other teammates to win which they did. Well done Marija and to her other teammates.

Also a big well done to all the other Nottinghamshire teams who took part.

Written by William Humphreys