Shojiki Karate JKS members win medals just seven months after club established in Kirkcaldy

Woods, 19, a 3rd Dan black belt who runs Shojiki Karate JKS from Linktown Church in Nicol Street, is affiliated to JKS Scotland which has headquarters in Dunfermline.

And he outlined his pride and delight that 11-year-old Mete Sener joined Shojiki clubmate Sam Melville (13) in taking medals in their classes at the club’s first competition earlier this month, the JKS Scotland Grassroots event in Dunfermline.

"We went to that competition with three athletes and not really expecting very much,” Woods said. "It was minute-and-a-half bouts with straight elimination.

“Mete and Sam both won their first fights comfortably before Mete won a close bout to get through again but Sam unfortunately bowed out to a guy from a Glasgow club.

"But for them each to get two bronze medals was a really good result, a massive achievement. They are both only orange belts who have only sat one grading. I think Mete started karate in April and Sam started in July or August.

"What was working particularly well for the boys was probably their back hand punch or gyaku-zuki, to the stomach. That was where they picked the points up.

"I thought their performances were amazing. I was super chuffed and so proud of them. It was great for the club as well."

Around 30 students currently train under Woods at Linktown Church on Tuesday evenings, with the teenage instructor – a Scotland international who is currently ranked number seven in the world for under-21 -75kg – happy to pass on his expertise from 15 years of doing karate.

Woods, a British title winner who in 2019 became the world’s number one ranked fighter at under-16 -63kg level, added: "My ambitions for the club in Kirkcaldy are just for it to keep expanding.

"We want to give people the opportunities and benefits that karate provides, keep them grading, keep progressing, getting up the belts and getting as much exposure to competition as we can.

"There is another grassroots competition in Dunfermline in March and then we’ll have the JKS national championships in May in Grangemouth which I’ll have athletes at as well.

"I think it’s without a doubt that there will be more success coming for our members.

"It’s just a matter of time until we get some more good results."

On a personal level, Woods said he remained very keen to make a considerable mark on karate by adding senior medals to his CV.

The -75kg star recently returned from the senior world championships in Budapest – losing to an English opponent – but in February he will go to the European Under-21 Championships in Georgia where he hopes to pick up a medal.

Shojiki Karate JKS is looking for new members aged three and over – contact Woods by emailing [email protected] for further information.