NSK headed to the ICO Scottish Open with five fighters competing across a range of categories, returning home with an impressive seven medals — four gold, two silver and one bronze. 🏆
More than the medals, it was a weekend full of strong performances, valuable experience and plenty of positives to take back to the gym.
Ewan – Two Gold Medals 🥇🥇
Ewan had a particularly busy weekend, stepping in at the last minute for an Advanced Light Contact bout against an opponent he had an equal win/loss record against. Determined to make a statement, Ewan went into the fight with a clear goal and ultimately came away with the win.
Despite picking up an injury during the bout, he didn’t let it stop him. Ewan went on to compete in Advanced Martial Box, where he boxed well and used his skills and experience to secure another victory and a second gold medal.
With Ewan also preparing for Worlds in October, this was another valuable competition outing as he continues his preparations.
Ash – Two Gold Medals 🥇🥇
Ash produced a strong and clean performance in Inclusive Kata, giving her plenty of confidence as she continues to prepare for Worlds in October.
She also made her debut in Kick Light, putting in a very positive first performance. She listened well to instructions from the corner and adapted throughout the bout, showing plenty of potential in a new discipline.
Sam – Silver 🥈
For Sam, this was his first competition, and what an introduction to competing it was.
He picked up two wins to progress through the competition before reaching the final, where he took silver. To come away from his first outing with two wins and a place in the final is a fantastic achievement and gives him plenty of confidence to build on.
Barney – Silver 🥈
Barney showed some great improvements since his last competition and put in a very close performance in Novice Kick Light.
Unfortunately, the fight went against him on a split decision, but there were plenty of positives to take from the bout and clear signs of the progress he has made since his previous outing.
Travis – Bronze 🥉
Travis competed in Advanced Kick Light and unfortunately caught a body shot early in his fight which affected his performance.
Despite the setback, Travis has already returned to the gym determined to learn from the experience and prepare for his next opportunity.
A Special Mention for Logan ❤️
We also had the pleasure of cornering our adopted kiddo, Logan from Endurance, over the weekend.
Logan put in some great performances, with lots of positives to take away and plenty to build on. We were really pleased to be able to support him from the corner and be part of his competition weekend.
Behind the Scenes
Competition weekends involve far more than what happens in the ring, and a huge amount of work happens behind the scenes to keep everything moving.
A massive thank you to Ash for running around sorting fight times, warming up fighters, carrying equipment and taking care of the general admin throughout the weekend. Those jobs might not always be seen, but they make a huge difference to the team.
And, as always, thank you to our coaches, corner team, supporters and everyone back at NSK who continues to support our fighters.
A Well-Deserved Team Evening 🍕🎯
Of course, the weekend wasn’t all about competing. After a busy day on the mats, everyone deserved some time to relax and enjoy themselves.
We finished the evening with a very well-deserved Domino’s 🍕, followed by a trip to Topgolf 🎯 before eventually heading home.
It was a great way to round off a busy weekend — plenty of competition, plenty of learning, lots of laughs and, most importantly, plenty of time spent together as a team.
Seven medals, five fighters and one very memorable weekend for Team NSK. 🖤🥊
With Ewan and Ash both looking ahead to Worlds in October, and the rest of the team continuing to develop and prepare for their next challenges, there is plenty more to come from NSK.