Sibling rivalry can be a powerful motivation.Just 12 months ago 14 year-old Beth Goody went along with her family to St Joseph's College to watch her 12 year-old brother Jack win a silver medal in karate.

Stuart Watson

By Stuart Watson

Sibling rivalry can be a powerful motivation.

Just 12 months ago 14 year-old Beth Goody went along with her family to St Joseph's College to watch her 12 year-old brother Jack win a silver medal in karate.

Beth and Jack's father Colin explained: “Let's just say there was a little bit of envy that day and she quickly joined her brother at Claydon Karate Club.”

Fast forward a year and Beth has remarkably won two gold medals in the very competition at which she was inspired as a spectator.

Competing in the East Of England EKKA Karate Championships, Beth won all her fights in her 0-7th kyu, 4'8-5'2 category to take the kumite title, while she also claimed gold in the kata demonstration event.

Beth's coach at Claydon Karate Club, 2nd Dan Gary Thomas, said: “Beth has done very well in the year that she has been with us.

“I think her eagerness and enthusiasm gives her that edge over her competitors. She is one of the children that very clearly wants to be there and that shows with her concentration all the time.

“We have many medal winners at the club, but for Beth to win gold in both the kumite and kata is impressive.

“Usually you find that, quite often, people are either quite good at fighting or at the demonstration, and it's the ones that are good at both that really stand out.

“It's very early for her still but, although she is still a low grade, she has established herself in that category that can do both which is a very good start.

“The opportunities will be there for all of our pupils as they progress up through the grades to - if they are good enough - trial for national squads.”