Simoni in European championship double

THE Colne Valley’s Peter Simoni has become a double European martial arts champion.

The 19-year-old took part in the WEKAF Eskrima European championships in London representing Team GB.

He became double European heavyweight champion in singlewooden and padded-stick Eskrima and was runner-up in wooden double stick Eskrima.

Simoni trains at the Colne Valley Black Belt Academy in Linthwaite under Master Bob Sykes where he has also been a student of karate for 13 years and where he has achieved Karate black belt second Dan.

He also attended the British training camp in Luton in the lead up to each major championship.

Simoni started practising Eskrima in 2011 and fought his first competitive Eskrima competition in December 2014 before moving onto armoured wooden stick Eskrima in April 2016.

Simoni fought and won a padded stick competition which resulted in him being invited to join the British Eskrima Team for the 2016 WEKAF World Championships in the Philippines.

Although Simoni did not win a medal in the Philippines, he learned a lot, and in November 2016 won his first British Championship title in single wooden stick, and he came second in double wooden stick.

In April he added another British title in padded stick to his achievements.

Simoni attended King James’ School in Almondbury before moving to Mirfield Free Grammar where he has just completed his A levels.