Flying the flag for Britain

MARTIAL ARTS:

SEVEN members of Cobra Kan Karate Do fly to Spain on Monday for the World Karate and Kickboxing Council World Championships.

The party, mother and daughter Helen and Tanya O’Donnell, another mother and daughter pair Gill Leicester and Jessica Shipman, Kirsty Moore, Wesley Hughes and Megan Richardson are in the Great Britain squad competing in Cadiz, in the south west of the country.

They are taking part in the Kata section, with the family members set to meet each other in the team event, with Tanya, Jessica and Kirsty are in one side, and Helen and Gill in another.

Gill, the senior instructor at Cobra Khan, said: “Each country are allowed three teams in the Kata, so it should be interesting.”

The seven qualified after impressing in the WKC British Championships, but Jessica Lusty, despite claiming an excellent silver medal, just missed out on selection.

Cobra Kan Karate, who hold sessions at several locations in Oldham, also bagged medals in the WKC Open Championships and at the Martial Arts Illustrated Open Championships.