Bronzed Basckin edges closer to Worlds

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KARATE competitor Michael Basckin won a bronze medal at the Czech Open this week and took a giant leap towards his dreams of competing at the World Karate Championships in Malaysia next year.

“It was pretty tough because there were people from all over Europe there, so the level of competition was very high,” 16-year-old Basckin said.

Basckin is one of only three Australians in the national team who were selected to compete in both the kata, which is the performance routine, and the kumite, which is sparring, in the Czech Republic.

Of the 800 competitors, he won his bronze medal in the kata and finished fifth in the kumite competition.

“This is the first big international competition I have come to, so I just wanted to see where I was compared to the rest of the world and so I’m really happy with bronze.”

The medal is an important step on the way to Basckin’s big dream because only one Australian under-18 competitor is selected to compete at the world championships.

“To be selected for the world championships you have to have won a medal at an international event, so this is huge for me and I’m very happy that I got the medal.”

Basckin, who was recently a finalist in the Maccabi NSW Junior Sportsman of the Year award, has competed at five Australian national championships and has won the national under-18 title for the past two years.

“I’ve been doing karate for about nine years because my brother was doing it and so I decided to go along one day, and I haven’t stopped since.

“I like it because it keeps me fit and it gives me something to do every day. I can’t stop because when I win a competition it gives me such a great feeling.”

His proud dad, Ian, said Basckin’s hard work had clearly paid off.

“He trains six days a week for four hours a day and he really deserves the success he is having,” Ian said.

JOSHUA LEVI