Hampton Park’s Corey and Nic Borchard represented Victoria at the Australian Karate Federation National Championships in Perth this month. 21645By Marc McGowan
HAMPTON Park brothers Corey and Nic Borchard started karate four years ago to learn self-defence, but have gained so much more.
The pair, who attend Narre Warren South P-12 College, represented Victoria in their respective age groups at the Australian Karate Federation National Championships in Perth this month.
Corey, 13, just missed a medal, finishing fourth in Kata, while Nic, 8, won the national title in the same discipline.
Kata is a Japanese word for a choreographed patterns of movements.
Aspiring boxer Nic, a purple belt, was pleasantly surprised at his success, but his parents Kathy and Justin believe it is unlikely he has grasped the enormity of his achievement.
“He doesn’t realise he’s won the national championship,” Kathy said.
“He got changed after that, got his football and kicked it around with his friends.
“It’s overwhelming. I’m still trying to get over it.”
Corey, a brown belt, was similarly chuffed with his performance, but said it was not his motivation to be involved in the martial art.
“Nic and I don’t go to tournaments to win – we go there to try and have fun, and to meet lots of people and do our best,” he said.
“Karate makes me more confident in who I talk to and associate with.
“Before I did karate, if there was a fight I would walk past it and say ‘fight, fight’ or whatever, but now I don’t go anywhere near them.”
The Borchards were selected for the state team in May after enduring a stringent trial process that began in February.
They also won medals at the Australian Karate Federation Open Championships against international competitors in Queensland in April.
Sensei Marco Mazzanti trains Nic and Corey at Kimekai Karate Dojo in Chelsea Heights.
They have impressed Mazzanti so much that they have been chosen to travel to Malaysia for the 18th Kobe Osaka International next July.
Grand Master Shihan Tommy Morris, from Scotland, will run a one-week elite karate course before the week-long competition.
Morris and Mazzanti will also adjudicate in September on whether Nic and Corey are given their brown and black belts respectively.
And there looks to be more family karate success on its way, with younger siblings Brooke, 7, and Jamie, 6, also showing promise.
If anyone is interested in sponsoring the Borchard brothers, the News can be contacted on 5945 0666.
