Twelve-year-old Xanthe makes history with black belt

Xanthe Povey, aged 12 and a pupil at Highfields School, has been kickboxing with the Alfreton PKA club since she was seven.

Instructor Antony Weston said, “Kickboxing is a fantastic sport for all ages and our club at Alfreton caters for both adults and children. We have several families who enjoy coming to class together as we can tailor the exercises to various ages and fitness levels. It is a great sport for improving both your physical and mental health.”

To achieve the Black Belt, Xanthe travelled to Birmingham and took part in a gruelling five-hour examination.

She said: “It was a really long and tiring day but I knew that I had trained hard and was ready to take on the challenge of the black belt exam. I am so happy to be the youngest person in Derbyshire to achieve a Black Belt.

"I enjoy training at both the Alfreton and Wirksworth clubs and would recommend kickboxing to everyone. Not only have I learnt a great skill that keeps me fit but I have also made some fantastic friends.”

Antony added: “We are all really proud of Xanthe’s achievement and I am looking forward to many of her classmates achieving their black belts in the future. We are a really friendly club and anyone interested in finding out more about PKA Kickboxing is welcome to attend one of our taster sessions.”

PKA offers kickboxing classes in towns around Derbyshire including Matlock, Wirksworth and Alfreton.