Jersey teenager hoping to become international champion kicking up a storm on the karate world stage

A Jersey teenager is hoping to become the next Channel Island champion in the world of Karate.

Ethan Barrett, 16, has represented Jersey on the world stage several times in recent years.

He has been training with the Roy MacDonald Kenpo Karate Association in St Helier for the last five years.

Later this year, Ethan will hopefully once again be flying the Jersey flag in front of the world.

He said: "This year in October I will be competing in the International Championships in Rome, so I’m looking forward to that.

"It’s a bit nerve-racking, to be honest, but at the end of the day I train hard, I try my best and hopefully win."

The competition will involve sparring with other events, as well as performing a Kata.

  • Ethan performs a Kata sequence as he explains what this specialist routine of techniques involves

Explaining what the Kata is, Ethan said: "It’s a routine of techniques sort of into one form and while I do my moves I visualise an opponent in front of me and what kind of height I should be striking at, I should be striking at the correct targets.

"So there are quite a lot of things to keep in mind while doing a Kata."

Martial artists between the ages of five and 75 train at the school, and Ethan is one of several competitors from the club heading to Italy.

But the benefits of karate are far more hard-hitting than just winning medals.

Roy MacDonald - the chief instructor at the Jersey Kenpo Karate Association Credit: ITV Channel

Roy MacDonald, the chief instructor at the Jersey Kenpo Karate Association, said: "It teaches them discipline, respect, control, self-control. It teaches them to be very dedicated to something.

"They’ve achieved a lot in the past, so we’re hoping they can achieve the same again.

"So it’s all about how hard they work between now and then.

"The Jersey flag will be flown there, it definitely will be."

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