Kellie Shimmings has been practising karate since she was 11 years of age. She was the first Australian karate woman to win a silver medal at the World Games. It is not surprising that Kellie has made it to the top.
Kellie fought in her first National Championship when she was 12 years old winning a bronze medal. The following year she won her first National Gold Medal. Kellie had made the first step on what would become a long and successful tournament career. Never being satisfied with anything less than gold, the following years were one gold medal after another. In 1993 Kellie competed in her first international tournament, the USA National Championships. Kellie won gold in the 15 years kumite. Kellie had her first taste at fighting a Japanese opponent in the team event. Kellie destroyed her opponent using three consecutive hook kicks.
1996 was another outstanding year for Kellie. She won gold in the individual and team kumite at the Junior World Championships, South Africa. That same year Kellie competed in the Senior World Championships. She was only 18 years of age at the time. Kellie came away with a bronze medal in the team event and a good idea of how tough the senior World Championships could be.
In 1997 Kellie was back in America competing in the Hayashi-ha World Championships. Kellie won a gold medal in the individual and a silver medal in the open.
Over the next few years Kellie backed off international competition devoting more time to her academic responsibilities. She had ambitions of becoming a schoolteacher, a goal she achieved.
It was at the beginning of 2000 when Kellie asked Branco if he was prepared to train her seriously for the senior world championships. His answer was an unequivocal yes.
Kellie made it to the top 8 at the 2000 World Championships. This was a difficult time for Kellie. The training regime that Branco put her through was extremely demanding. He worked on all aspects of her fighting. Gradually with hard work and Branco’s guiding hand, Kellie began to appreciate her full potential.
Kellie’s next big step forward was when she won a silver medal at the World Games. With only 8 seconds to go and down by one point Kellie threw one of her dynamic kicks to the head of her South African opponent. It wasn’t the sanbon (3 points) she was awarded but a penalty, which cost her two points and eventually the match. Kellie was not disappointed. She was now convinced that what Branco had been telling her since she was 11 years old was true. She had what it takes to be the best.
Kellie said, “I now know I am up there with the rest of the world’s top competitors. I now know that with Branco’s expertise and my dedication I can be World Champion.”
INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
- 1. USA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 15 YEARS KUMITE – 1st place
- 2. 1996 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 17 YEARS KUMITE – 1st place
- 3. 1996 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS JUNIOR TEAM KUMITE – 1st place
- 4. 1997 HAYASHI-HA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE – 1st place
- 5. 1997 HAYASHI-HA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS TEAM KUMITE – 1st place
- 6. 1999 OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE – 1st place
- 7. 1999 OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE – 1st place
- 8. 2002 OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE – 1st place
- 9. 2002 OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE – 1st place
- 10. 1997 HAYASHI-HA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE – 2nd places
- 11. 2001 WORLD GAMES WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE – 2nd places
- 1. 1996 SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS TEAM KUMITE – 3rd place
NATIONAL FIRST PLACES
- 1. 1991 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 13 YEARS KUMITE
- 2. 1992 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 14 YEARS KUMITE
- 3. 1993 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GIRLS 15 YEARS KUMITE
- 4. 1994 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GIRLS 16 YEARS KUMITE
- 5. 1994 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 16 YEARS KUMITE
- 6. 1995 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GIRLS 17 YEARS KUMITE
- 7. 1996 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CADET FEMALE 53-60KG KUMITE
- 8. 1996 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CADET FEMALE 53-60KG KUMITE
- 9. 1997 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CADET FEMALE OVER 6OKG
- 10. 1998 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CADET FEMALE 53-60KG KUMITE
- 11. 1998 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 12. 1999 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 13. 1999 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 14. 2000 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 15. 2000 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 16. 2000 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 17. 2000 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 18. 2001 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 19. 2001 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 20. 2001 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 21. 2002 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 22. 2002 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 23. 2002 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 24. 2003 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 25. 2003 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 26. 2004 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS TEAM KUMITE
NATIONAL SECOND PLACES
- 1. 1995 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 17 YEARS KUMITE
- 2. 1996 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GIRLS 18 YEARS KUMITE
- 3. 1996 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 4. 1996 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 5. 1997 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 6. 2002 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
NATIONAL THIRD PLACES
- 1. 1990 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS 12 YEARS KUMITE
- 2. 1996 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 3. 1997 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS 53-60KG KUMITE
- 4. 1997 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMENS OPEN KUMITE
- 5. 1997 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMENS OVER 6OKG KUMITE