AN AMATEUR kick boxer from Thirsk will take on the world's best when he travels to Thailand next week as part of the English team entered in the Muay Thai World Games.

Chris Guyll, aged 28, is originally from Baldersby, and although he now lives in Leeds he maintains close links with Thirsk through his work at RS Hall Engineering, based in Chapel Street.

His involvement in martial arts began when he was 15 and started karate classes at Boroughbridge. This interest in self defence and keeping fit grew and four years ago he took up Muay Thai, better known as kick boxing.

Mr Guyll has had six fights so far in this country in the heavy weight

By Alison Lewis

class, and his performances were impressive enough to earn him a place on the English team.

His employers have sponsored his flights to get him to the world games, and Mr Guyll has endured a gruelling training programme and low fat diet in the run-up to the event.

He trains every lunch time at Hambleton District Council's gym at Thirsk Pool and every night with the Kai Loi club in Harrogate, involving seven-mile runs, sparring and pad work and sprint training.

His training has also been bolstered with weekend sessions in Manchester with the rest of the English team.

"It's pretty hard work," said Mr Guyll, "I'm fighting in the heavyweight class, so I need to get my weight as close to the 91kg limit and be as lean as possible.

"We're concerned that when we get to Thailand, with the heat, we will lose weight through liquid loss."

He added: "It's going to be a knock-out tournament, and in ten days we could have five or six fights, which will be quite difficult because over here we have one fight and a couple of weeks off to recover."

Mother of two Chanelle Borgan, from Markington, near Ripon, is also part of the English team travelling to Thailand.

Although she has only been involved in kick boxing for two years, she is undefeated and would like to open the sport up to more females