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Corrales Woman Wins World Karate Championship |
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Written by Jeff Radford
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Tuesday, 18 December 2007 |
Forty-four year old Corraleña Judith Vinyard was fighting in the 20-30
age group because no other competitors her age showed up at the world
karate championships in England a few weeks ago.
As the championship match started she was attacked by a “quite large” British woman.
Three seconds later, Vinyard had a gold medal.
“It shocked me how fast it was over. But I know I can win if I let my opponent make the first move.
“She opened with a strike to my face, I responded with a rising block
and countered with a punch. I scored the three points necessary to win
within three seconds.”
At the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association’s October 12 championships
in Crawley, England, Vinyard took another gold medal demonstrating
form, as well as a silver competing with a Swiss-German team that was
short one fighter, and a bronze medal participating with a three-member
team in synchronized form demonstration.
Her victories qualify her to represent the United States in karate at
the Pan American Games in Brazil this coming July. Three months later,
she’ll compete in the 2008 world championships again, this time in
South Africa.
Part of Vinyard’s success can be attributed to regularly fighting
against men at the training school she attends near Candelaria and
Girard.
“My regular sparring partner is a man six-foot-two, 220 pounds,” she
explained. “That absolutely helps me when I compete in tournaments.
When I fight a woman my size, I am not intimidated.”
She said her strongest feature is blocking and counter-punching. Her reactions are lightning-quick.
She hones her reflex time by watching television. She picks a specific
word, and when a telecaster or actor says that word, she instantly,
automatically throws up an arm to block.
Vinyard said her winning strategy at the championships was to stay
focused and relax. “I was there to win, not to do anything fancy. I
can’t allow my mind to think, but just allow my body to relax and take
over.”
The Okinawan style of karate she practices is a full-contact sport, she pointed out. People get hurt.
“I've been hit in the face one time,” she admitted. “People fighting
with karate get broken noses and ribs all the time. I’ve been hit a
lot, but never had anything broken.”
She doesn’t use protective equipment because she feels it slows her down. “I rarely get hit because my reactions are so quick.”
But she expects to begin wearing protection, such as gloves, mouthpiece and helmet, as she advances in age.
She started in martial arts 20 years ago, in college when she lived
above a kung fu school. She began karate four years ago when she
moved here from Colorado.
Vinyard said she started martial arts as a way to overcome her shyness.
“I was very, very shy as I was growing up. I started martial arts as a
way to combat my shyness.
“Now I can stand up and fight before thousands of people, but I’m still shy,” she conceded.
She took her seven-year-old son, Cody, with her to the championships,
and recalls walking with him around London after the tournament. “I was
so sore I could hardly walk. I had never fought so many matches in
succession. I had 10 fights one right after the other.
“But I feel I’m in the best shape of my life, absolutely.” |
