THREE talented karate students achieved representative honours in a major multiple-sports event held in Birmingham at the weekend.

Harry King, 21, Rio Johnson, 18, and Lucy Beale, 21, all members of the Koshido-Ryu club based at The Den Mixed Martial Arts Gym above the old Barclays Bank in Winsford, competed in an exhibition match at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival staged at the NEC.

Officials said their performances were ‘amazing’ and that they all ‘did the club proud’ as they took to the mats among 12 Kenshin Karate Organisation competitors on behalf of the World Union Karate Federation against a dozen fighters from the English Union Karate Federation.

“This is a great honour for these students, to represent their club, their association and also the world governing body of WUKF,” said Emily Pollitt, a fifth dan black belt and former world and European gold medallist who co-runs the Koshido-Ryu club with Kathryn King, also a fifth dan and former medallist in world and European championships.

“All three of them compete on a regular basis domestically and internationally. In fact, Harry has just returned from Florida where he competed in the WUKF World Karate Championships and came away with two bronze medals.

“They all train extremely hard and were really excited to be selected and to compete at such an event.”

The focus now shifts to preparing to go to Florence for the WUKF European Championships in November.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival, in the name of the Hollywood actor and former governor of California, is described as a full weekend celebration of health, fitness and nutrition.

The festival featured some of the biggest and best multi-sport competitions, including strongman, bodybuilding, powerlifting, fitness games, MMA, boxing, gymnastics, cheerleading, calisthenics, dance and many more.