Forty-eight karate fighters from The Dojo Karate Centre came home to Greater Manchester this week clutching 199 medals after tearing through the WMAGC World Championships in Norway.

The Oldham, Rochdale and Middleton squad—68 gold, 77 silver and 54 bronze strong—accounted for more than a third of Team GB’s record-breaking international haul and, for the second year running, formed the largest single club contingent in the British party.

Sensei Irfan Ansari, who coached the group and served as one of only four rules arbitrators at the event, dedicated the triumph to “against all odds”.
”We were up against world-class opposition, especially from Team USA who brought 250 athletes and were funded and fully supported,” he said.
”However, despite absolutely zero funding or support from any council for our athletes, and against all odds, parents worked really hard to skimp, save and borrow money to fulfil their child’s dream of attending the World Championships.
Through their sheer dedication and our coaching methods, our competitors really raised their game and shone through to put us on the world map.”

Top individual performances came from Abdullah Ishaq-Shahid with six golds, two silvers and three bronzes; junior star Elonie Goodfellow with six golds, two silvers and two bronzes; and Team GB female captain Sensei Natalie Dean, who led the adult charge with four golds and one silver.
Classes are now open for newcomers at venues across Oldham, Rochdale, Middleton and Cheadle.

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