Taking the world by storm Riaz Amin, and Filipino Martial Arts Academy team mate Fahim Ahmed, won world stick fighting titles in Hungary on a day when Team GB picked up 14 gold medals. see below More inside The Neighbourhood Games take place at Mile End on August 19. see pages 34 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY World champ – at just 16 BY PETER FAULKNER STEPNEY’S Riaz Amin has become world stick fighting champion – and he is just 16. Riaz won the double sticks title on what proved to be a sensational world championships in Hungary for the Filipino Martial Arts Academy (FMAA). The youngster from Dongola Road led a medal spree for Team GB that ended with 13 golds, 13 silvers and 11 bronze. Club mate Fahim Ahmed also became world champion when he won the double sticks title in his category and picked up a bronze medal in the padded stick competition. “This is what I set my sights on and what I had worked for since I took up the sport,” said Riaz, who has been competing since he was five. “Now I hope this is the start of bigger things.” The WEKAF World Championships – World Escrima-Kalis- Arnis Federation – attracts the top athletes from all over the world, challenging for glory over seven days. The FMAA, which run classes at the Ensign Centre in Aldgate, the Tarling Centre in Stepney and the Osmani Centre, Whitechapel, have enjoyed one of their most successful world championships ever and have really made their mark on the event. Just getting into the Great Britain squad was an achievement for someone Riaz’s age, but to add a world title at 16 is storybook Fahim Ahmed also won gold stuff. riazamin.co.uk Stick fighting world champion Riaz Amin is just 16 despite losing to his Italian opponent in first stike. The bronze medal was a controversial affair with two Team GB cadets getting injured through illegal moves. Team mate Calen ended up in hospital and Riaz had to forfeit the next round after a butt strike to the chest and low hit to the leg. Although he won the bout in the sudden death fourth round, due to injury, he couldn’t continue to the next. Had he been able to resume, he had a great chance to get another gold, as the event winner was beaten by Riaz in the double sticks final. For more information, go to Landlords, all properties urgently required O% Commission with Guaranteed rents We will pay up to 3 months rent in advance the same day you sign • 2-5 years contracts available • FREE electrical safety test • FREE gas safety check • FREE EPC • FREE inventory Your rent is guaranteed each month, even if your property is empty 020 8983 4444 Riaz concentrated more on the combat side and entered the double, single and soft stick/first strike. He entered three events and took a medal in each one. He became world champion in double sticks after defeating a Hungarian in the final. He won silver in the singles Phillips withdraws from the Euros PHILLIPS Idowu still believes he can get his athletics career back on track and be a triple jump champion again – even though Father Time is catching up with him. Idowu finished fifth in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and, because of this poor display, the former Raine’s pupil decided to pull out of Great Britain’s squad at the European championships in Zurich. The east Londoner withdrew because he said he wanted to concentrate on his training and his fitness and was determined to resurrect his career. But, at 35 years of age, time is running out for him especially when younger, hungrier athletes are ready to take over his throne. Idowu failed to make the finals at the London 2012 Olympic Games, leapt eight Phillips Idowu is concentrating on his form and fitness centimetres shorter in Glasgow than he did in the Olympic Stadium, but still had the selectors backing as the man in form following his fifth place at the European team championships in June. The Rio Olympics in 2016 must remain his major target, but by then he will be almost 37 and even though the mind might be willing, the body could be telling him it’s time to hang up the spikes. Idowu won gold at the 2009 World championships in Berlin and a silver at the same event two years later. In between he picked up another gold in the 2010 European championships in Barcelona. But will Idowu be able to recapture that sort of form at his age or will he have to make do with living on his memories? It’s the last chance saloon for Idowu. He will not want to return to the arena unless he is back to his best and if that doesn’t happen he will be consigned to the history books, not the record books. 28 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 4 – 10 AUGUST 2014
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