PROUD karate players based in Farnham have got the world at their feet – and they’ve got the medals to prove it.

The talented group from the Su-Ha-Ri Karate Club, which has its regional base on Dogflud Way, picked up an astonishing 22 medals at the WIKF World Championships in Crawley, West Sussex.

The players from South West Surrey and East Hampshire, under the expert eye of sensei John Wicks, won seven gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals at the championships at the K2 Arena.

Mr Wicks, who teaches the 16 karetka who headed to West Sussex and who come from Farnham, Alton, Bentley, Four Marks and Bordon, said of his charges: “We did very well. England are normally one of the top three nations every tournament, so we were pleased, especially as a lot of the kids are local. It’s good for me and it’s good for the students.

“I used to compete at the same level as the kids and it gives me more pleasure now to see my students winning medals then when I used to win them myself.”

Mr Wicks, who set up the club in Farnham in 1985 and is the chief instructor for Su-Ha-Ri globally, is no stranger to big tournament success and was in no doubt as to why his talented group, the youngest of which was just eight years old, was so successful in West Sussex.

“Their attitude, their commitment, their dedication, the camaraderie between kids is great to see,” he said.

“My experience as a coach having competed at a high level myself has helped and it’s pleasing for me to pass it onto the students. But the dedication of some of the kids is wonderful to see, they really do give their all, 100 per cent.”

And he added: “Years ago kids used to fight like kids, nowadays they fight like adults. There are no shortcuts or half measures now. If the kids don’t train hard they don’t get the achievements, they don’t get the medals.

“Unless they are putting those hours in, they just can’t compete with the kids in the other countries. Adults and kids now, the level is exactly the same. Contact is a little different with kids, we have to be strict on that, but the commitment has to be there otherwise they are going to lose.”

While there is a regular competitive national circuit, the next major tournament for the Surrey and Hampshire contingent of the Su-Ha-Ri Karate Club is the European Championships in Cyprus next year – and the work has already begun to try to secure another bumper medal haul.

Either way, the future certainly looks bright for Su-Ha-Ri.