Medal haul for martial arts team

Two days of success: members of the DEMAA martial arts academy

STUDENTS at the DEMAA martial arts academy, based on Napier Street, Oldham, helped Great Britain to an excellent medal haul at the WOMAA (World Organisation of Martial Arts Athletes) ninth annual World Martial Arts Peace Games in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland.

DEMAA supplied eight of the 25 GB competitors, while principal instructor Dave Terry was selected as coach of the senior squad and was also a referee and judge at the event.

Two days of competing in a mixture of martial arts, including weapons, self-defence, kickboxing, karate, kick-Jutsu, sport Ju Jitsu and grappling, saw GB earn 56 medals in total.

The Academy itself won 14 of those, three of them gold.

Hamzah Khawaja (14) of Werneth, a pupil of Hathershaw Sports & Technology College, won gold in grappling

Jake Cheetham (11) of Royton, took gold in kick-Jutsu plus silver in grappling and kickboxing. And Farhad Khawaja (9) of Werneth Primary School won gold in grappling.

Damian Hirons (17), of Chadderton, took two silvers in grappling and a silver and bronze in two kick-Jutsu weight categories .

Latisha Terry (13 of Alkrington) won silver in grappling and bronze in kick-Jutsu, while Shaaban Siddique (8) took bronze in grappling.

Kyle Law (7) a pupil of Mills Hills Primary School, won silver in grappling and Elisabeth Terry (7) received bronze in grappling.