A young kickboxer from Middleton has launched a fundraising quest for £1,000 so he can compete in the World Kickboxing Union (WKU) World Championships in October – just under 12 months after starting the sport.

Nine-year-old Dylan Kershaw has been chosen to represent England at the Cardiff tournament after finishing second in his points fight and continuous fight categories at the WKU British Championships in May.

The Elmwood Primary School pupil hopes to meet his goal of paying for his training program, travel, equipment and entry fees.

Dylan, who competes in the under 25kg and under 10 categories – the sport’s youngest and lightest division – says: “It would mean a lot to me to help make my dream come true and show England what I can do.”

And he continued his preparation for the world championships by winning gold medals in the categories of continuous fighting on a ring and continuous fighting on a mat, during the British championship of the International Boxing and Kickboxing Organization (IBKO). in Bury, Sunday, June 26.

The victory makes him the British IBKO Champion in his age group and adds to his continued fights and points fighting titles he has won at the International Fighting Organization (ICO) Championships.

Points for continuous fights are awarded as the duel unfolds in the same way boxers are scored, while points fights focus on technique and see the referee stop the fight and reset the points. fighters at each point scored.

Dylan, who holds a green belt after being sped through his white, yellow, orange, red and red striped belts, has already attended one of four England training camps in Birmingham, although he has to missing one in August when he is competing in the Scottish Championships.

He trains at the British Military Martial Arts (BMMA) center in Altrincham four times a week, following in the footsteps of his older brother Harley, 13, a blue-striped belter who has been kickboxing since he was nine. He too is no stranger to success, holding two WKKC British titles in the under 35kg, under 13 category, and joining his brother on the podium when he won two golds, a silver and a bronze at the IBKO Championships.

Dylan’s father, Gaz, a saw operator and FLT driver at Hill’s Panel Products (HPP), the Oldham-based supplier and manufacturer of panels, doors and fittings, said: “I’m very proud of the guys. Every time I watch Dylan step into the ring or onto the mat, I feel proud regardless of the outcome. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that – to stand in front of people and compete is awesome.

Dylan will be joined at the world championships by fellow BMMA, nine-year-old Dacre Bilton, of Chadderton, who is competing in a heavier weight class. Both boys have launched GoFundMe campaigns to raise the funds needed to attend the event at the Sport Wales National Centre.

Gaz said: “We got off to a great start after Dylan’s school went public with their appeal. We don’t even know some people, they are teachers and other parents. It helped us a lot and we are very grateful.

Meanwhile, Dylan will continue his training under the watchful eye of his trainer and father Gaz, and he will be encouraged in his exploits by his mother Donna, his brother Harley and his younger sister Scarlet, seven, who started the gymnastics after deciding kickboxing wasn’t for her.

You can sponsor Dylan by visiting his fundraising page here.