Five golds in a row for Rampant Ravi as Hicks Team Elite excel at British Kickboxing Championships

​Panchal, a member of the city-based Hicks Karate Team Elite, took gold in the 32kg ‘Light Continuous’ category for older cadets to add to his many major titles.

These championships attract the best martial arts fighters in Britain and competition is fierce throughout two-day event.

The Hicks team were therefore delighted to see their 11 entrants pick up 10 medals between them, made up of two golds, two silvers and six bronzes.

Roxy Briggs was the other gold medal winner to emerge from the club. She excelled in a girls under 33kg ‘Points’ event.

Panchal completed a productive weekend with a second place finish in the older cadets 32k ‘Points’ category. The other silver medal was won by Harlee Hooker in the older cadets under 42kg ‘Light Continuous’ event.

The Hicks Team Elite bronze medallists were.

Arshan Nash: older cadets U57kg Points

Casey Stone: senior ladies U55kg Points

Hollie Brook: younger cadets U47kg Light Con

William Woods: junior men U74kg Light Con

Hollie Brook: younger cadets Musical Forms

Sophie Hicks: older cadets Musical Weapons.

The club’s own fighter of the day awards went to Hooker and Nash.

Hooker is on a streak at the moment with ‘Light Continuous’ fighting. A discipline that isn’t his favourite, but he won two rounds comfortably and was on top form, but nerves crept in for the final and he had to settle for silver. He was a standout fighter on the day though.

Nash was on fire. Competing in his weight class and the one above, with both categories running side by side, he ran from mat to mat with little time to get his breath. In two really tough sections with 22 fighters in one and 20 in another he was outstanding coming fifth in one section and taking the joint bronze in the other.

Nash kept his cool when he needed to and listened well to coaching. He worked hard and ignored high exhaustion levels, making all his opponents work hard and fight well in return.