Willetton-based martial arts club West Coast Karate is celebrating the phenomenal success of several of its students.
At only 23 years of age, Hannah Sullivan, a long-term member of the club, is one of Western Australia’s most accomplished karate athletes and is widely regarded as Australia’s leading female competitor.
In 2025, Hannah was the only female karate athlete selected to represent Australia at the World Games in Chengdu, China, which are widely recognised as one of the most prestigious international multi-sport events outside the Olympic Games.
In 2026, Ms Sullivan attained a gold medal in the Australian Open +68kg division, a gold medal in the Western Australian State Championships +68kg division and was selected as captain of the 2026 Western Australian Karate Team, among other achievements.
Additionally, she has been selected to represent Australia at the 2026 FISU World University Championship Combat Sports in Brasília, Brazil, from 8-13 June 2026.
“What makes Hannah’s current campaign particularly noteworthy is that she travelled to Brazil despite carrying an injury, demonstrating the commitment and resilience required to compete at the highest level of the sport,” the club has revealed.
Rising star Nathaniel Cowey, at just 15 years of age, is also making himself known. Nathaniel recently won a Bronze Medal at the Asian Youth League and Training Camp in Hangzhou, China last year.
He also secured a Bronze Medal at the 2026 Australian Open and has recently returned from competing at the Karate 1 Youth League event in Manila, Philippines, where he competed against many of the world’s top junior athletes.
“Nathaniel’s results suggest he is a young athlete with significant potential and one to watch in the coming years,” said the club.
A number of West Coast Karate students have been selected to represent Western Australia at the 2026 Australian Karate Federation National Championships in Hobart from 10-12 July 2026. These will be Hannah Sullivan, Nathaniel Cowey, Zali Watters and Matthias Sekac, with the club’s head instructor, Brian Sullivan, serving as a WA state coach.
“What makes these achievements particularly pleasing is that West Coast Karate remains a relatively small club. The success of its athletes reflects many years of dedication from students, coaches and families, and demonstrates that local community sporting clubs can still produce athletes capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport,” Mr Sullivan said.
