Karate boosts social skills, say young champions

A young karate champion who previously struggled with anxiety says the sport has given him a confidence boost.

Arena Karate in Hadleigh, Suffolk, brought home 18 medals after representing Great Britain at the WTKA Unified World Championships in Carrara, Italy.

Among the competitors was Oliver, 11, who lives in Essex, said the sport had made it much easier for him to talk to people he had not met before.

"I feel like karate has helped me improve my social skills. When you have sports, you've got peers around you; it's a bit extraordinary having people doing the same thing as you," he said.

"There's so much pressure and you don't want to feel like you've let yourself down.

"I was trying to make sure I tried extra hard to see if I could accomplish what I wanted, and I did."

The youngster previously told the BBC he had struggled with confidence and experienced anxiety.

He won gold in Sanbon Kumite and Kumite Point, while also picking up silver medals in Open Traditional Kata and Korean Kata.

Oliver's stepdad, Ben, who joined the martial arts group to bond with him and help coach the squad, described the experience as "one of the most rewarding things I've done".

"They're probably all going to overtake me and what I can achieve. That's brilliant."

Lacie-Mae, who picked up a gold in Sanbon Kumite and silvers in Kumite Point and Open Traditional Kata, said she enjoyed the social side of the sport.

"I like being with my friends and just being able to do something, and not just sit around all day. It's just something I really like doing," she said.

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