Medal haul at Karate nationals in Hobart
A trio of Jewish athletes won four medals between them at the 2026 Australian Karate Championships.
Jewish Sydneysider Yonatan Freund won gold at the 2026 Karate Australian Championships in Hobart earlier this month in the men’s under-84kg weight category after defeating Victorian Maggio Hudson in the final.
He also earned silver in the open men’s competition, and performed consistently well throughout the tournament, winning nine of his 10 bouts.
Richard Basckin – with whom Freund runs the Miyagi Kan Karate East dojo – won silver in the men’s under-60kg weight division, and only lost against the top-ranked lightweight fighter.
A promising junior member of their dojo, Eli Levin, earned bronze in the U14 boys’ under-45kg weight division at the nationals.
“He fought really well, and we’re proud of his effort out there,” Freund said.
“Overall, there were great results from our team, and it’s always fun competing against Australia’s best.”
Freund can now look forward to preparing in the months ahead for his next challenge, after earning selection in the Australian squad for the 2026 Karate World Cup, to be held in Hangzhou, China, from November 20-22.