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propertyHome/Local Sport/Local FootyTasmania beats chest over medals and tournament for karate's national championshipsBy Andrew MathiesonUpdated August 4 2019 - 10:03pm, first published

8:30pmBy Andrew MathiesonUpdated August 4 2019 - 10:03pm, first published 8:30pmFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyLaunceston tournament turns the heat up on cold rivals Inviting chops and

kicks had good reason to come a touch more forceful than usual, all amid a bitter cold Launceston that wound the Australian Karate Federation national championships up.

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50% off EOFY SaleAll articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperCrosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll other regional websites in your areaContinue It just proved one novel

way of keeping warm.

Even tournament director Garth Hall, a Railton local, could see the funny side as the nation's best exponents of the martial art turned up the heat in the Silverdome.

"We had a lot of complaints about the cold," Hall said.

"We did hand out hand warmers and we also had diesel heaters going, so we did our best for them."

That, at least, is where the cold reception ended.

Hall was full of bravado on Sunday, calling the the Launceston national event - after the state coach attended the tournament every year in every state - nothing short of an "outstanding

success".

It was the first time that Launceston - and just the third time Tasmania - hosted the national championships.

"There has not been a better one and I am not just saying that. It wouldn't be just my opinion, but my opinion is that it has been great, just fantastic," Hall said.

"I certainly haven't seen a better venue for it, either.

"Launceston's Silverdome is just such a fantastic venue."

Tasmania would finish the championships with one gold, three silver and three bronze - all coming on Saturday but none on Sunday.

That did not surprise Hall.

The medal winners on the final day will be among the bona fide contenders to head to Tokyo next year for karate's debut at the Olympics.

"It was the open events on the last day," he said.

"So it is very hard to pick up medals, especially with injuries and things like that.

"Generally, most competitors are carrying some sort of niggle. It was still a very exciting day of competition.

"The final men's team event came down to the last fight, so that in itself was an exciting way to end."

The hosts finished fifth on the medal table, pulling more medals than South Australia.

The man who has had a strong hand in a number of Tasmanian combatants said the state would be better off for a taste of the experience.

"From a competitive point of view, everyone in the state improved; everyone competed very well," Hall said.

"That is in terms of team spirit, in terms of medals won and it wasn't just about the medals won or not.

"Everyone who didn't get a medal, their performance on the mats were full of personal bests, so we can say everyone performed very well."

TASSIE'S HEROESGOLD: T'Meika KnappSILVER: T'Meika Knapp, Finlay Rossiter-Hill, Annalise BeecheyBRONZE: Matilda Andersson, Alec Slamen, Annalise

BeecheyShareFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyAndrew MathiesonSports JournalistThe day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I

realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.The day I realised I wasn't

good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the

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