WALES STARS NEED FIGHTING CHANCE
AFTER a long, hard, night shift, most people would want to jump into bed and sleep it off. But not 19-year-old Ashleigh Harris – because she has to train to fulfil her dream of competing at the next Olympic Games.
Ashleigh is Wales’ number one at karate for the under-21s and can train up to seven times a week when she’s competing.
But she still finds time to study for a health and social care degree with the Open University and work as a support worker.
Her journey started 10 years when her dad wanted her to get involved with a sport that kept her safe.
“I think it was just random,” she said. “My dad said: ‘I want you and your sister to start something so you can defend yourself if you get attacked.’
“I just always loved it. It’s always something I wanted to do. I want to achieve my black belt.
“I started competitions when I was nine and had my red yellow belt – [competing at that stage] is quite advanced for a low belt.”
Now the teenager has been selected to represent Wales at the European Championships in Russia next month, alongside teammate and fellow number one in the country Daniel Hewitt, 16.
But for the Swansea-based pair – both members of Budokan Wales Karate Club at Bungie’s Gym in Fforestfach – there’s the small matter of getting there first.
Having only just been officially recognised as a sport for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Ashleigh and Daniel are finding it hard to fundraise to compete on the international stage.
To realise their dream of competing in the Olympics, Ashleigh and Daniel have to earn points by taking part in as many international and national competitions as they can.
Those with the most points stand the best chance of being selected to represent their country on the world stage at the games.
But with having to work, study and train, it can be a challenge for Ashleigh and Daniel, who is still in full-time education.
“It’s difficult because it’s selffunded,” said Ashleigh. “It’s quite sad because there are the main sports, especially in Wales, which are recognised but people don’t really give it [karate] a chance. People focus on the main sports.
“If I was a boy my dad would have put me in boxing because it’s a bigger sport.
“When I go to international competitions it’s difficult because in countries like Turkey it’s so big they have full-time athletes.
“There’s only a handful of people in Britain who have those stats and it’s normally those with the rich parents.
“My family think it’s brilliant. But when I turned 18 my dad said: ‘You’re old enough now, you can do it yourself.’”
Ashleigh and Daniel have set up an online fundraising page to try to raise the £1,500 needed to pay for flights, accommodation and
tournament entry fees, as well as helping ease the need to do shift work ahead of the competition at the start of February in Sochi.
But for Ashleigh she just wants to compete at a sport she loves.
“It would be such a weight off my shoulders. I’m a support worker for two autistic men and I like to do nights. I drink all the coffee I can get so I’ve got the time to train.
“I train Monday to Friday and sometimes on the weekend. When there’s a competition coming up we train all week. We also have a set fight night on a Friday.
“It would mean the world to me. It’s representing my country and doing something I love.
“I just love competing and working towards something and see the improvement and watching it back to see what I can do differently.
“I was selected in October/ November time. I’ve fought for Wales before – it’s just an amazing feeling, especially representing Wales.”
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