The nine-year-old karate champion from Wearside aiming to take on the world

A nine-year-old girl from Wearside is preparing to defend her European title in karate.

Charley Foster has only been practicing the martial art for two years, but already holds national, European and World Championship gold medals.

She is part of a team from Dokan Karate Club in Sunderland who will be travelling to Antibes in France to compete in the WUKF European Championships.

She said: "When I was little, I just wanted to do a sport what I liked and I tried lots of sports and karate was just the one.

"Every night, after school I'm just really looking forward to karate. I just try my hardest whenever I can."

Charley has been practicing karate at the Dokan Karate Club in Sunderland for the last two years. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

Her Sensei Kevin Mitchinson is hopeful she can add to her already impressive medal haul as this time, she will be competing in fighting events as well as in kata - a choreographed sequence of karate movements.

He said: "Charley was massively motivated to do well, as a lot of them are in here. She's doing brown and black belt katas on a low grade because she does so many hours. Hopefully this year, she could maybe get two medals!"

The 2023 WUKF European Karate Championships will take place in Antibes from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 November.

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