MOSH Ali won a bronze medal at a national karate championship.

The Southend Ishinryu Karate Club member finished third at the EKF English Kyu Grade National Championships at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

And his club-mate Beth Baxter narrowly missed out on a podium finish by taking fifth.

Ali received a bye in the first round of the senior male kata for fifth kyu and above.

A sharp Empi kata in the second round saw him get a unanimous 5-0 judges decision.

The quarter-final saw Ali edge his rival out 3-2 with his strong Gojushiho Sho kata.

But a 3-2 semi-final defeat with his Pinan Ni kata meant Ali had to settle for bronze.

Baxter had a first round bye in the 10-13 year girls’ kata and won 3-0 in the second round with her strong Pinan Ni kata.

She performed Pinan Inchi in the quarter-final but was unable to win any flags against her higher graded opponent’s Unshu kata, leaving her fifth overall.

Southend Ishinryu coach John Gardiner said: “Mosh was only one flag away from making the final of his first English Championships and at only a fifth kyu he was at the bottom end of the category.

“Mosh can be happy with his achievement and can aim to make the final next year.

“Beth finished in fifth place in her first national level championship and it was a great result and experience for her to move on from this year.”

Simon Green of KHG Contracting Ltd sponsored the team. For more information on Southend Ishinryu Karate Club, call John Gardiner on 07429 367480 or go to www.southendishinryu.co.uk.