Fuad Hide has won Gold at the English Karate Federation Kyu Grade National Championships.

The competition took place this past weekend, (13^th-14^th January) at Leicester Sports Arena. The championship ran across two days and hosted more categories than ever before.

Fuad studies Level 3 BTEC Sport at Ashton Sixth Form College, having begun his studies at the the Great Academy Ashton.

Vicky Clough, Head of Sport and Public Services said,

Fuad's love for learning is evident and he likes to apply what he learns in the classroom into his sport. He is a real credit to himself, the department and the college.

Earlier this year, Fuad won Gold at the Yorkshire Open and has since gone on to compete across the country, including at the British International Championships. His training has developed quite a lot in a short amount of time, noting that everything “feels more professional now”. Under his coach, WKF World Karate Champion and Professional Boxer, Paul Newby, Fuad travels to North Yorkshire multiple times a week to train and perfect the martial art.

With such an intensive training schedule, alongside his passion for a full-time course in Sport, Fuad has found the balance between college work and training difficult at times, but it has not slowed him down. He continues to work and his commitment to college is outstanding. Staff across the college speak of Fuad as polite, courteous and hardworking.

Sheridan Lewis, Assistant Principal said,

Fuad is an extremely dedicated and hardworking young man. He has committed to a full time college course whilst also training numerous times during the week, including travelling to Skipton 3 evenings a week, sometimes taking an hour and half to get there and then returning home late at night.

He has been a real example to his classmates and we are all thrilled with his latest momentous achievement and look forward to hopefully seeing Fuad represent Great Britain at the Olympics.

On the day of the championship, Fuad recalls arriving, getting ready and going straight in to the fight of which he said,

It’s the best I’ve ever fought.

Following the completion of his studies, Fuad has his sights set on making Team Great Britain and competing in the Olympic Games.