Oxfordshire's Emily Valentine and Danielle Lester struck gold for England at the 4th WUKF World Karate Championships for children, cadets and juniors in Novi Sad in Serbia.

Valentine, 10, won an individual gold in the sparring and also bronze in the girls kata, while Danielle Lester took gold in the female cadet team rotation and with Anna James-Bott took home bronze in the cadet female team sanbon.

The duo were part of a 36-strong Karate England team, 11 members of which were from the Oxford Sport & Traditional Martial Arts (OSTMA) Club.

The Oxford organisation currently make up a third of the national squad.

Ben Turner picked up silver medals in both the male cadet rotation and the male cadet sanbon, as did Mitchell Rob-erts in the junior shito ryu kata.

Roberts also took bronze in the junior kumite under 60k discipline. Joby Wilson won bronze in both the junior male sanbon team and male junior under 65 kg kumite, while Joe Bonnassisa was third in the male team ippon cadet kumite rotation, as was Hollie Roberts in the shito ryu kata.

Joshua Valentine, brother of Emily, fought valiantly through four rounds and narrowly missed the bronze medal, after the Abingdon School pupil was knocked out by the eventual champion from Serbia.

The event was attended by 2000 competitors from 30 countries, representing 35 Associations, spanning five continents.

“We are a mixed martial arts club, and we are very proud to be producing champions across many disciplines at local, national and international levels,” said the club’s delighted chief instructor Paul Wood.

“The standard was excellent and our coaches Phil Patrick, Lee Willis, Patience Kakitie and Dave Plested should be congratulated on their hard work and achievements.”

For more information about OSTMA classes, contact Sensei Paul Wood on 07921102724 or email him at pwoodmartialarts@btinternet.com.