Hollie stars for Hicks with three gold medals at the renowned Peterborough Martial Arts Championships
Martial arts stars from all over the UK landed in the city last Sunday to take part in the Peterborough Championship Series.
The event was staged at the Bushfield Sports Centre and is run by two local martial artists in Andrew Hicks and Martin Hobbs.
There were several Peterborough teams in attendance, including Hicks Family Martial Arts, ToriKai Martial Arts, Peterborough Freestyle, Inspired Martial Arts, Oubaitori Karate Club, BCKA and Viper Martial Arts.
They all showcased the best the city offers in martial arts competing against national teams.
The Hicks Family Martial Arts club was able to take its Team Elite to the event, as well as give many more competitors from beginners upwards the chance to experience the competitive side of the sport.
Hicks fielded a team of 30 and brought home 16 gold medals, 15 silver and also 11 bronze.
Hollie Brook was one of the stars of the day as she brought home three golds and a bronze.
Brook has had a tough time this year, being on the border of most categories and having to step up. Now midway through, she is showing how perseverance and training through the losses and hard fights is the way it pays off to succeed.
Beginner Ben Horner also shone as he attended the event on his 16th birthday and jumped straight into fighting in adults men’s sections against much older and more experienced martial artists. He still achieved an excellent silver medal in one of his sections.
There were also two silvers and a bronze for Hicks senior Kye Prior.
The Hicks senior fighter of the day went to Shiv Panchal.
Not only did he help coach the team, he also won his own points fighting section and took home the men’s open weight overall winner trophy and prize money too.
The junior fighters of the day awards went to Aryia Townsend and Theo Owen.
Townsend was in a mixed peewees section and was the only girl against a group of boys on her first time entering the creative kata section. She won her fight section and grabbed two golds and a bronze in her kata.
Owen entered his first big competition and claimed a silver medal.