Ossett X Martial Arts School members qualify for world championships after winning English Championships

Ten Ossett members – as well as 21 members of the Malton and York branches of the X Martial Arts schools – came home with medals after competing in the WKKC English Championships competition, which was held on March 17 in Worksop.

X Martial Arts Schools was founded in York in 2013, and is now made up of clubs in Ossett, York, Malton, Sheffield, Leeds and Harrogate, who joined together to create one team in the English championships last month, coming out on top above 50 other teams.

Around 800 people took part in the competition, with some categories containing over 30 competitors.

The ages of the X Martial Arts Schools competitors ranged from seven years old to those in their fifties.

Jay Spain, owner of X Martial Arts Schools Ossett, said: “It’s a great achievement for the school.”

To prepare for the world championships, Jay said members will train up to six times a week, with extra fitness training on top of that.

She said: “A lot of it is self-commitment and mind over matter.

"For anyone going to the world championships, it takes a lot of dedication and focus.

"Although they may want to go and and be with friends and things, the six weeks beforehand for the world championships are dedicated to eating, sleeping and breathing martial arts.”

The club has seen success at this level previously, coming away with 11 world titles last year, including 11 gold medals, nine silver and a couple of bronzes.

Jay said this year the school has double the number of qualifiers for the world championships than it normally would, and with 31 members potentially competing – dependent on securing enough funding – Jay thinks it could be the biggest England team yet.

Jay has been training for 23 years and is a fourth degree blackbelt with seven world titles to her name.

She added: “[Competing in world championships] is a great way to communicate and make new friendships around the country; our aim is to pass on that, to give everyone the opportunity to compete and represent their country – which is a big achievement.”