15/11/2025
199 Medals AGAINST ALL ODDS
Team DOJO returnS from WORLD Martial Arts Championships with 199 Medals
48 members of the 51 squad from The DOJO Karate Centre (Rochdale, Oldham, Middleton) returned from the WMAGC World Championships with an amazing 199 medals (68 Gold, 77 Silver, 54 Bronze) held in Oslo, Norway 7th-9th NOV.
These 48 members were part of the 132 Team GB athletes and performed excellently against other countries to win its biggest ever international medal haul.
Team GB & DOJO Coach, Sensei IRFAN ANSARI said ‘I’d like to dedicate this year’s success to the phrase AGAINST ALL ODDS. We were up against world class opposition, especially from Team USA who brought 250 athletes and were funded and fully supported. However, despite absolutely zero funding or support from any council for our athletes, and against all odds, parents worked really hard to skimp, save and borrow money to fulfil their child’s dream of attending the World Championships. Through their sheer dedication and our coaching methods, our competitors really raised their game and shone through to put Rochdale on the World map.
‘Since 2007 we have a robust coaching method that has consistently produced the highest number of World Champs right here in the Rochdale Borough. For sustained growth from among our talent base, our athletes need to be supported financially to pay for flights, hotel, transportation, physio treatments, kits, insurances and entry fees by the local companies and especially by the Council. This year it has cost close to £1500 per athlete, if not more. Lack of funding deters members from attending the following World Champs and attrition soon follows. So many highly talented athletes, right here in Rochdale borough have been lost, simply because of lack of funding for them. This is a real shame for Rochdale! We should not have to start from grass roots every year!’
Another achievement by Team DOJO was, like last year at the European Champs, this year Team DOJO was again the largest individual Club that represented their country at the World Champs, and, to have won such a large haul of medals
Team DOJO members competed in many events, Kata, Weapons Kata, Pairs Kata, Team Kata, Kumite, Point Kickboxing, Self-defence, Continuous Kickboxing competitions.
Sensei ANSARI was also given the honour to be 1 of 4 Rules Arbitrators for the World Championships, and received an award for all his work in preparing Team GB for the World Champs by the WMAGC Secretary General, Chris Hemstock.
Also, Sensei NATALIE DEAN from The DOJO Karate Centre was the Team GB Female Captain.
Team DOJO COACHES were made up of Irfan Ansari, Jacki Lawrence, Huseyn Mikayilov, Isshaaq Ansari and Natalie Dean, who have worked tirelessly through the last year to raise performances of Team DOJO. We thank them all for their amazing insights they have shared with all Team DOJO members to bring success to Rochdale Borough and surrounding areas of Middleton and Oldham.
Thanks also to Assistant Coaches Jeet, Diya, Kisha, Maryam, Andrew, Helal, Saif, Robert, who all were at hand to help Coaches do their job efficiently mat-side.
Best performances from Team DOJO were from ABDULLAH ISHAQ-SHAHID (6 Golds, 2 Silvers, 3 Bronze).
From the Junior Squad Best performance was from ELONIE GOODFELLOW (6 Golds, 2 Silvers, 2 Bronze).
From all the Adults in Team DOJO, best performance was from Sensei NATALIE DEAN (4 Golds, and 1 Silver)
In closing Sensei ANSARI said ‘A special thanks has to go to the parents for their dedication, support for each other, camaraderie, joy and team work in making it go smoothly was great to see – long may it continue!
Anyone wishing to try out Martial Arts Classes should book a Trial Class at www.thedojo.net
The DOJO offers classes in ROCHDALE, OLDHAM, MIDDLETON and CHEADLE.
You never know – you might be the next World Champion!
