KICKBOXER Johnny Hoyle is delighted after winning a silver medal in the World Kickboxing Championships in Killarney, Ireland.
Representing England, the Year 8 student at Haslingden High School said: “I have been training for this competition since I was in Year 7.
“I have been kickboxing for seven to eight years and I used to attend Alf’s Kickboxing Academy, but I am no longer in a club.
“I have got through to the World Championships several times and went to one at Niagara Falls when we were right next to the falls, but I didn’t win anything there.
“I have had a bronze in a previous World Championships and this time my first fight was against a guy from Scotland.
“Then I was against an Irish guy and it was so close, but he ended up being disqualified because he did some fouls. That got me through to the final when I lost to another Irish guy.”
That left Year 8 student Johnny, 12, with the silver medal for age 12-13 +55kg.
He said: “All of the competitors were bigger than me so I didn’t expect to win a medal.”
Now he has got his silver medal, Johnny said he was happy with how far he had been able to go in kickboxing and was seeking another sport.
He said: “I have a lot of friends who play football and so, although my mum says kickboxing keeps me fit, I want to try football or something like that.”
Year 10 Isabella Dunn won two bronze medals at the same event, for individual points fighting and team points fighting.
While Year 11 student Olivia Hanson competed in the World Karate Championships also in Killarney and qualified for the England team after just missing out on the finals in the individual kata, but qualified for the team kata and brought home a bronze medal.