A scholar who took up karate after being bullied in school has gained gold for England on the Karate World Championships.
Paulina “Lina” Makazlieva, 19, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, claimed three medals on the Worldwide Fight Organisation event in France, together with gold within the kumite sparring competitors.
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The College of Worcester legislation scholar stated she first turned to the game six years in the past after experiencing bullying throughout her faculty years and eager to study self-defence.
“I began it as a result of I used to be having a number of powerful instances in highschool, as everybody does in some unspecified time in the future,” she stated.
“Usually I might by no means speak about it, however I do know there’s individuals on the market which can be additionally going by means of the identical factor,” Makazlieva added.
“It is solely proper if I speak about it and share my story too.”
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Makazlieva stated she initially took up karate as a pastime, however rapidly turned passionate in regards to the sport and commenced competing 4 years in the past.
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Alongside her research, she is finishing authorized coaching at a Kidderminster solicitors’ agency whereas additionally spending as much as 5 days per week coaching or figuring out within the health club.
That tough work paid off on the world championships, the place she discovered herself dealing with defeat within the gold-medal match.
“Inside I needed to give up; I felt actually scared,” she admitted.
“However then I simply went again to the phrases that my dad used to say, which is, ‘If you are going to begin one thing, do it to the top.’
“And my coach used to say if you are going to lose, do not lose by worry; lose by truly doing the match. In order that gave me motivation.”
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‘Straight out of a film’
Her process turned even more durable when she fell 4-0 behind in a contest the place the primary competitor to attain 5 factors can be topped champion.
“I used to be dropping 4-0, after which I bought damage, and I could not even get again up, however I simply needed to as a result of I used to be fascinated by everyone and my laborious work,” Makazlieva stated.
“My coach was telling me to relax. So I attempted to take heed to him, after which I talked to my team-mate for 10 seconds, and so they gave me suggestions.
“I began to get some extent or two and began to study and observe her. I gained 5-4 and it felt prefer it was actually straight out of a film.”
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She additionally gained a gold and silver medal in kata, a self-discipline the place rivals are judged on a sequence of strategies and actions.
“I needed to come back dwelling with not less than one medal, however this exceeded my expectations,” she stated.
Makazlieva credit a lot of her dedication to her late father, who died three years in the past.
“I feel he would have been very happy with his daughter as a result of he is at all times raised me to be a fighter and to have the soul of a fighter and be unbiased,” she stated.
A brown belt, Makazlieva hopes to pursue a profession in civil and company legislation whereas persevering with to compete internationally.
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She additionally hopes karate might be included on the 2032 Olympic Video games, permitting her to grasp a long-held ambition.
“I’ve labored laborious for this chance and needed to be sure that I did nicely and took benefit of it,” she stated.
“I simply knew that it was from all my laborious work and all of the coaching that I put in, and I simply felt very proud.”
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