Karate strengthened our bond, says boy and stepdad

A stepson and stepdad heading to next month's karate world championships in Italy have said practising the sport together helped them bond.

Oliver, 11, and Ben, 37, are two of seven athletes from the same club, Arena Karate in Hadleigh in Suffolk, who have been selected to represent Great Britain in Carrara.

The pair, who live in Coggeshall, Essex, took up the discipline together five years ago.

"It has given us something to focus on... we compete, train and coach together," explains Ben.

Ben has been Oliver's stepdad since he was just 11 months old.

As a young child, Oliver struggled with confidence and experienced anxiety but the dojo added structure and stability to his life in a welcoming environment. It also allowed him to develop his social skills.

He now helps out at training on weeknights at the Suffolk club with the Little Dragons - the next generation of martial artists aged three to seven years old.

"I love how the sport builds me up," says Oliver, speaking to BBC Look East.

"It makes me less anxious and emotional than I would normally be. My mum really notices a difference."

Ben says he started karate to them something to do as a pair.

"I had done a few martial arts in the past but this is the only one I have stuck at, mainly because I am doing it with [Oliver]," he adds.

"We have gone all the way from red belt up to the dizzy heights of brown belt now."

Oliver laughs: "That's because you skipped all the early belts. I did all the harder ones!"

The two exchange a warm smile at Oliver's cheeky remark.

Ben says he initially helped Oliver as they learned the first few katas (a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements). But as sequences became more complicated, it is Oliver who is often reminding him what comes next.

The sport "massively" helps their relationship, says Ben.

"We were doing things such as learning to ride a bike but this is something we have been learning together. Hopefully one day, we will reach black belt together."

Oliver says their "relationship was strong before" but now "it is even stronger".

"We have a stronger bond than most. It is brilliant," adds Oliver.

Arena Karate has been training students since 1975 and now has around 50 members.

The club's international athletes are aged between 11 and 37.

They will represent Team GB at the WTKA GB European Open in Barnsley on 10 October, before heading to the WTKA World Championships from 21 to 25 October. The event in Tuscany features 2,500 athletes from 75 different countries.

Ben, who usually competes in the veterans' age group, will be doing kumite. Oliver will be doing kata and kumite within his age bracket.

Karate is not an Olympic sport, so does not receive any government funding through UK Sport.

Therefore the athletes and parents have been fundraising to cover the costs of representing their country. They need to raise more than £10,000 for them to compete.

Arena Karate head coach Stefanie Barnes explains, that for a small Suffolk club, the money needed was "massive".

"While the athletes have done the hard work on the mats, it is a huge financial hurdle," she adds.

The athletes' work ethic is "fantastic", she says, and she is "so proud" of them.

For 11-year-old Esmee, 14-year-old Lacie-Mae and Lily who is 12, a first international call-up is exciting.

Lily says they have all put in 100% in training to make their routine perfect for competition.

"We have to learn to pace ourselves, so we are in-sync with each other," adds Lacie-Mae. "It takes lots of practise."

Esmee says she has also made lots of friends through karate.

"I have learned lots of moves and techniques. I can't wait to perform them on the world stage but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous too!"

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