Posted: 06/12/12
Bailey’s sporting joy
A West Nottinghamshire College sports student is jubilant after scooping a top title at the 2012 Mansfield Sports Recognition Awards.
On Monday evening (3 December), 18-year-old Bailey Lowe, from Mansfield, discovered she was the winner of Junior Sportsperson of the Year award – which recognised her outstanding achievements in karate.
At the event, which saw Rebecca Adlington crowned Mansfield’s Sportsperson of the Year, second Dan black belt holder Bailey proudly collected her award watched by her mum and her karate teacher.
Among her many achievements in karate Bailey was recognised for becoming European Champion when she represented England in the competitions this year in Greece. She also picked up silver and bronze awards in the American World Championships this year and gold and bronze awards at London’s ExCeL competition venue in March.
Bailey said: “There were 10 nominees and I said to my mum that I didn’t think I stood a chance. So when they called out my name I was so shocked. I was really proud to accept this award and it was lovely to have my mum and my Karate teacher there too.”
Bailey has studied karate since the age of eight and now teaches the sport to children at Mansfield Karate Club. Bailey is nine-times champion for Kata – a specialist area of karate involving stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. She is also four-times national champion in Kumite – the part of karate in which a person trains against an adversary.
Bailey’s college tutor Rachael Evans said: “We’re all so proud of Bailey’s achievement – she’s done so well and thoroughly deserves this recognition.
“She always puts every effort into both her theory and practical work on the leadership in sport programme and it’s obvious that she has the same dedication towards her karate studies. Her hard work really has paid off.”
