Evolution's fighters strike national gold

Evolution fighters. Pictured, on the back row are Mark Baldry, Nesta Baxter and Kev Hunter.

Kickboxers Nesta Baxter and Mark Baldry both claimed first places at Solihull.

On top of that, the club claimed two silvers and a bronze.

The competition also goes towards selection for the Great Britain team in 2017.

Nesta, 16, retained her light continuous title, making her a national champion in this category for the fifth straight year.

Fighting in the junior girls’ (16-18 years) -60kg she met a strong Welsh fighter in the final but, after a great performance, finished on top of the podium.

Nesta also claimed a well-deserved bronze in her other light continuous category following a split decision.

But she claimed her second WAKO national title in the junior girls’ (16-18 years) -60kg point fighting section.

Nesta came up against and beat some of the top fighters in this division.

Nesta also went on to claim a silver medal in her other points division, in which she missed out on a third title in the final against a fellow GB fighter.

The fight went to extra time with Nesta’s opponent winning by just one point.

Mark then won a national title for the third consecutive year.

In the veteran men’s +94kg light continuous category he claimed first place, giving his hopes of representing GB for a third year a massive boost.

Kev Hunter claimed a silver medal in his light continuous category after a very tough final against a good fighter.

Mackenzie Warrant, 10, fought fantastically in his younger cadet (10-12 years) boys’ -32kg light continuous division, but went out to the eventual winner in the preliminary rounds.

Thirteen-year-old Zac Baldry was a runner-up in his older cadet (13-15 years) boys’ -47kg light continuous category and also competed in the older cadet boys’ +47kg points.

In the younger cadet girls’ (10-12 years) points, Teegan Aldis just missed out by two points against current World champion Freya Holmes in the first preliminary round.

Another runner-up was Paige Stedman, who fought in the younger cadet girls’ (10-12yrs) -32kg points.

Riley Brocklesby, nine, and Mackenzie Warrant, 10, both fought in the younger cadet boys’ (10-12 years) -32kg points, while Talon Chambers, 10, and Tyler Hilham, 12, were both runners-up in the younger cadet boys’ (10-12 years) +47kg points.

Also representing Evolution, Rhys Coleman, 17, and John Chambers, who was a runner-up in the mens’ -89kg point fighting.