Hanworth martial arts prospect Church making his mark

Hanworth martial arts star Vinny Church is back in action again on Saturday as he warms up for a big fight in Europe later this year.

Church, 22, takes on Marcel Adeyemi at Woking Leisure Centre this weekend, aiming to improve on his British ranking of third.

But he also has one eye on a contest with Bosnian Nerdin Fejzovic in the K1 World Grand Prix Europe card on 3 December, which will be shown on Eurosport.

Church trains in Sunbury at the Te At Su club and helped introduce older brother Harry – who lost out on the 78kg ISKA British K1 title last November – to the sport.

While Harry was making his mark, Vinny took some time out after the arrival of his two children, Delilah and Ralph, attending college three evenings a week to train as an electrician.

He has decided to throw himself back into the sport, and, while still part-time at present, is looking for sponsors to help him train on a full-time basis.

In September, he, Harry and younger brother Farren, 19, who come from a big QPR-supporting family, competed at one of Britain’s most famous MMA events, Super Fight Series II, at the St Albans Arena.

Vinny won the four-man winner-takes-all 72kg category and its £2,000 pot, both victories coming by knockout in round two.

Father Clint said: “Vinny’s mother Helen and I attend as many fights as possible and will interrupt our weekend trip to Zagreb to drive down to Bosnia to cheer him on.

“We are both extremely proud of what he has achieved.”