MEDIA RELEASE

Yeovil has a new British Champion - Adam Ridout wins K1 WAKO Title

Saturday 20 February saw Yeovil man Adam Ridout, aged 23, become the new K1 WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organisations) British Champion as eight years of training at Yeovil-based Panthers Martial Arts Academy culminated in Adam walking away with the title at the Great Britain national championships in Solihull.

Kire Antoski, owner and chief instructor at Panthers Martial Arts, who trained Adam, explains "K1 is one of the hardest kickboxing events to compete in as it allows leg, body and head contact. I am so proud that Adam has worked hard and reached such a high standard and it is great to see a Yeovil man become British champion in this discipline."

Adam is also a black belt in kickboxing and holds a purple belt in classical ju jutsu and mixed martial arts. He works as a qualified instructor at Panthers and is currently teaching children aged 4-8 who attend the Lil'Panthers kickboxing group as well as several junior and adult K1 kickboxing groups plus, juniors and adults learning classical ju jutsu, mixed martial arts and BodyMaX Fitness.

Last year Adam won his first Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) full contact fight in Cheltenham with a Knock Out (KO) and not surprisingly he holds the fastest KO record at Panthers Academy, finishing the fight in just five seconds!

For more information about Panthers Martial Arts Academy visitwww.panthersmaa.comor to arrange an interview with Adam, contact Kire Antoski T/: 01935 426 753 (evenings); M/: 07811 283 482 (anytime) or E/:hello@panthersmaa.com.

For more press information and a hi res photo contact Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114; M/: 07960698089 or E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Note to Editors

Yeovil Panthers was established in 1994 by founder and chief instructor Sensei Kire Antoski. Sensei Kire has over 39 years of martial arts experience and is a black belt Master in 4 different martial arts: 6th Dan Black Belt-Kickboxing, 4th Dan Black Belt-Ju Jutsu, 3rd Dan Black Belt-Tai Jutsu & 1st Dan Black Belt-Karate. The club is the most successful Martial Arts Centre in Somerset and has over 190 members of which 10 hold World titles, 6 hold European titles, 23 hold British titles, 5 hold silver World Championship medals and 3 hold bronze World Championship medals.

The club has expanded in recent years to include tuition in Body Blast Aerobic, Kickboxing, Ju-Jutsu, Mixed Martial Arts, Lil' Panthers - Kickboxing (ages 4 to 8), Lil'panthers - Ju Jutsu (ages 5 to 8), Kendo and Ko Budo Weapons.

In 1998 the club was renamed "The Martial Arts and Fitness Centre" and it was further expanded in 2000 to become the Panthers Martial Arts Academy - Yeovil and is based on Pen Mill Trading Estate.

The centre works with the community and has satellite clubs in Millfield School, Gryphon School, Ilchester School, St Antonys Leweston School, Chilton Cantelo School and Sherborne Primary School. It also provides specialist training for the Armed Forces.

February 2016 (PMA 01)