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Fordingbridge martial artist Tom Klemz flies home with world karate bronze

16:38, 17 October 2024

FORDINGBRIDGE teenager Tom Klemz returned from the most prestigious karate competition with a bronze medal around his neck.

Burgate School’s Klemz, who now represents France, returned with a third-place finish from the biennial karate world championship in Venice, Italy.

After several months of hard training, Klemz, the former number one ranked 14-16 kata practitioner in the World Karate Federation rankings, took on the best athletes from 54 different countries.

Tom Klemz on the mat at the world karate championships
Tom Klemz on the mat at the world karate championships

The talented 16/17-year-old martial artist, who previously represented England, stormed through the rounds by beating Iranian, Azerbaijanian, Romanian and New Zealand martial artists.

A delighted Tom Klemz with his bronze medal
A delighted Tom Klemz with his bronze medal

At this stage, he was one of only four boys left standing, and he faced the tournament favourite, Japan’s Soshi Okumura, in the semi-final. Okumura advanced with a narrow 40.30 to 39.80 win.

A victorious Tom Klemz at the world karate championships
A victorious Tom Klemz at the world karate championships

This meant that he qualified for the bronze medal final, where he defeated the reigning European champion from Germany, ___________, to take a world bronze medal.

Klemz is a Karate CKS member trained by two-time World Karate Championships medallist and multiple European medallist Sandy Scordo.

The proud martial artist is preparing to take his GCSEs later this year.

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