Birmingham brothers using sport to steer kids from crime

Sep 27 2009 by Alison Dayani, Sunday Mercury

They have used the motto to achieve their own sporting prowess.

Kaish was the three times undefeated WKN British Thai Boxing champion from 2004 to 2006 and still holds the title.

Kam, who started training when he was just seven-years-old, was English wrestling champion twice and captained the British team between 1998 and 1999. He also clinched the junior national title three times.

The brothers now hope Ibraheem will follow in their footsteps to sporting glory. The teenager got involved with the project over the past year when he was a pupil at Kingsbury School and is now studying a sports and exercise BTEC at Sutton Coldfield College.

Ibraheem thinks he would have been “wasting away his life” if he had not found wrestling.

“I used to do contact sports as a child but hadn’t done it for years and wouldn’t have bothered going to a gym unless this project had come into my school,” said Ibraheem.

“It has changed my life and now I eat and breathe wrestling. Instead of lounging around in the house and being bored, I get up early to do a run before breakfast and then go to the gym after college.

“When I went to the junior British Wrestling Association championships I was pumped up that I was going to win. But I got there and saw the other competitors and wasn’t so sure. I just got on with it and having this medal makes me want to get more. Suddenly seeing the Olympics in my sights is an amazing feeling and I don’t want to give up now.”

* Young people interested in taking part in the CHAMPION project should call Kaish on 07772 221914.