World titles for kickboxers at Genesis academy

Students at the Genesis Kickboxing Academy, with their coach, who competed for Team England in Portugal.

A kickboxing academy that has classes in Alfreton can proudly claim to have two world champions on its books.

For both Alexander Pieniazek, who is only 11, and Ashley King, who is 22, won their respective titles when fighting for Team England at the World Kickboxing Championships, hosted in Portugal by the World Martial Arts Organisation (WMO).

Pieniazek and King were two of four students from the Genesis Kickboxing Academy, which also holds classes in Bulwell, to represent their country at the championships.

Pieniazek won through to the finals in both of his categories. But it was in the points class where he shone, dominating both of his Canadian opponents.

National champion King, who is also a coach at Genesis, gave a masterclass in continuous kickboxing and won his two fights convincingly.

Also in Portugal were 11-year-old European champion Ryan Jarvis, who won a bronze medal despite moving up a weight category, and 15-year-old Kayleigh Walsh, who won a silver medal.

Both Piniazek and Jarvis are grandsons of Genesis coach Gary Wilkinson, another national champion who was also due to fight in the veterans’ section but had to pull out with a knee-injury.