Dundonald stick fighter Joshua wins three medals on global stage
YOUNG Dundonald martial arts star Joshua Chestnut is celebrating a haul of medals at the Global Stick and Blade Alliance (GSBA) World Championships.
Earlier this year, alongside his dad, Christopher Chestnut, and coach David Crawford, 11 year-old Joshua qualified for the championships in Bonn, Germany, through a demanding selection process, earning a spot in the Ireland and Northern Ireland squad.
The team consists of dedicated athletes from across Ireland and Northern Ireland, who have trained for years in Filipino stick fighting, also known as Kali, Arnis, or Eskrima, a martial art that focuses on timing, discipline, coordination, and control.
The Ireland and Northern Ireland squad may have been small in comparison to other nations, but their ambition was not.
What followed was an incredible few days of competition, injuries, victories, disappointments and unforgettable moments.
Fighting against competitors from all around the world, including Germany, USA, India, and Switzerland, Joshua shone, bringing home two gold medals in the single and double padded stick competitions, followed by a bronze medal in single live stick.
His live stick fight was one of the most dramatic moments of the competition. After suffering a significant thigh injury, resulting in a haematoma, Joshua, was determined to finish what he had started.
Although he ultimately lost the bout, he walked away to a roar of applause from the crowd, for his courage and determination, and dad Christopher has praised his overall showing in Bonn.
He said: “It’s fantastic, absolutely incredible, and we’re proud of how much effort and commitment he put in, never mind two golds and a bronze. The wins were the icing on the cake.”
Joshua, who trains with RAPTR Martial Arts in Dundonald, first got involved with martial arts to help with his confidence, and the discovery of stick fighting happened purely by chance.
Explaining how they found their way into the sport, Christopher explained: “For a short period, Joshua had issues with bullying, so we looked into martial arts for his confidence.
“Originally, he went to RAPTR for jiujitsu. I went along with him and decided to have a go myself, but we saw David (Crawford) taking his class, liked the look of it and decided to join. That has brought us to where we are now.”
Joshua may have only been involved in stick fighting for three years, but the accolades are now coming thick and fast.
The three medals at world level build on his wins from last summer’s European Championships in Belfast, hosted jointly by GSBA and RAPTR, where he claimed a gold medal in single padded stick and bronze in double padded stick.
He will next target success at October’s World Sport Arnis Championships in Firhead, Dublin, and Christopher believes his son has what it takes to compete there.
“We think he will do incredibly well. His performance in Germany has shown that he has the ability to perform on the world stage.”
