Skip to main content

Summer 2024DOJO Karate Centre’s record number selected for European championships

An impressive 48 members from the DOJO Karate Centre in Rochdale have been selected to represent England at the European Championships being held in August.

The Team GB selections were held in
Norwich on Saturday 10 February, and
resulted in the large number of Rochdale
fighters making the list.

To add to the good news, Huseyn Mikayilov of DOJO has been appointed Team GB’s male captain for the European Championships, which take place in High Wycombe in August.

Huseyn was appointed by the head national coach, Chris Hemstock, at the GBMAT team national squad training in Kettering. Coach Irfan Ansari said: “This is amazing news for Rochdale; this is the most members we have ever had selected for an international competition. It just goes to show that our coaching works and our members are ever achieving new levels and breaking records.

“We have had amazing success at world level since 2008 and this year will be even better. Selected members have now got five months of hard and dedicated training to be in medal winning positions at the Championships.

“Funding is always an issue as all entries are self-funded. So members will be asking their relatives, businesses to sponsor them. Is there anyone out there who would like to fund our team? Please get in touch with us. “We are asking all Rochdale citizens to help our young team members achieve their amazing goal of representing Rochdale and England at the Championships.”

Speaking about Huseyn’s success of being appointed captain, he added: “Huseyn has always worked hard in perfecting his skills. His motivation to stay strong with my guidance and support helped him realise the long-term goals and has kept him positive.

“Being given the chance to qualify as a coach and then go on to do so has taught him much more about the different types of people we deal with every day.

“Most of all, he has worked hard at self-improvement with many hours being spent reinforcing his learning, discovering different training methods, new techniques and tactics to excel himself.

“This, coupled with the respect he always shows and the often mischievous jokes he plays, makes him the ideal person to lead the GB team. We are all very proud of him.” The 48 eight members of the DOJO Karate Centre will represent England at the European Championships in High Wycombe over the weekend of 3 and 4
August.