Karate kids get Euro call-up

Tobias Batkin and Todd Williams have been picked to represent Great Britain at the IFK Karate Kyokushin Open European Championship in Samokov, Bulgaria, on November 29 and 30.

The 17-year-olds gave the Great Britain coach no choice but to choose them on the back of outstanding results at the 38th British Open Knockdown Tournament earlier this month.

Williams was victorious and his Hastings & Bexhill Kyokushinkai Karate Club team-mate Batkin came second in the cadets lightweight category at K2 Crawley. After gaining experience fighting for Hastings & Bexhill at national level and internationally for the England team, the boys had to step up to full contact at this level for the first time.

What’s more, they had to fight three times in less than an hour under the round-robin format. Although up against heavier and more experienced opponents, Williams and Batkin each earned a win and a draw against fighters from Crawley and London. They had to fight each other for the title and Williams just came out on top with the judges.

The boys have trained under Chris Seal at Hastings & Bexhill Kyokushinkai Karate Club since the tender age of six, progressing each year to the point where they are now British one and two in knockdown.