Young Toowoomba martial artist wins Aussie gold

Toowoomba girl matches it with Australia's best to win gold.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION: Young martial artist Ellen Camm won gold at the Australian Kyokushin Karate Championships in Brisbane recently. Picture: Bev Lacey

KARATE: Just two years into a martial arts career, Ellen Camm has already secured her first major title.

Competing at the Australian Kyokushin Karate Championships, the 10-year-old martial artist won gold in the 9-10 years girls division.

Drew Camm, Ellen's father and instructor, was delighted with her victory but admitted the final was hard to watch because of who she faced.

Ellen was victorious in a closely fought final against her Toowoomba Kyokushin Karate clubmate Rose Cook.

"As their instructor and a father it was very difficult to have them both in the final,” Drew Camm said.

"But it was great for us to have a first and second at national level.”

Ellen's performance was one of several good showings from the Toowoomba club which has direct affiliation links to its sport governing body in Japan.

Competing in her first tournament, Lily Hayes finished fourth (colts 13-15 years division), Sam Hayes finished second (adult lightweight novice) and Damien Herde finished third (adult middleweight novice).

"I say to my students just getting up there on the mat is a win in itself,” Camm said.

Toowoomba Kyokushin Karate Club members (from back, left) head instructor Drew Camm, Kyokushin Karate South Pacific region chairman Nic Cujic, Damien Herde, Samuel Hayes, (front from left) Ellen Camm, Rose Cook and Lily Hayes at the Kyokushin Australian Championships. Picture: Contributed

"It's a full contact competition so they have to be disciplined and focused.

"Unlike other sports you can't afford to switch off for a single minute in karate and it is that mental strength that impresses me the most about all of them.

"And then for them all to be able to show that and get some great results is fantastic.

"It is a fantastic showing from our dojo and I am very proud of every single person.”

Camm attributed the ongoing success of his students to their mentality.

"You have to love it, you have to want to be there at training,” he said.

"I see that in Ellen - she loves what she is doing - and I see it in a lot of our members.

"Some of them started with us with very little or no experience and it can be tough.

"But they stick with it, they grow and learn and the love it.”

The Australian championships featured more than 150 competitors from Australia and New Zealand.

Originally published as Young Toowoomba martial artist wins Aussie gold