Martial arts champion is role model, says teacher

Lana, pictured with dad Alan Strickland, said she got a lot of support from complete strangers through her fundraiser page

A 16-year-old who has won six medals at a martial arts world championship event has been described by her school head as a role model for young people.

Lana Strickland, from Stilton in Cambridgeshire, won two golds and four bronzes having competed in seven kickboxing and taekwondo categories.

The Year 12 student, who attends Hampton College in Peterborough, said she felt proud to represent England at the World Martial Arts Committee games in Hull last week.

"She is an exceptional athlete and has managed to balance her studies and her amazing sporting exploits with incredible maturity," said head teacher Alex Ford.

"She is a wonderful role model for younger students and we look forward to supporting her on her future martial arts journey."

Lana competed in seven categories of the sport and won six medals

Lana, a blackbelt in kickboxing, trains at Evolution Taekwondo in Peterborough six times a week where she also works as a coach.

She took up kickboxing at the age of seven, inspired by her brother.

"I think sports is really important... it is great for meeting friends. I have definitely met so many people that I wouldn't have met otherwise," she said.

"It helps the academic side too because it helps you concentrate and has helped me get better grades."

Going forward, she hopes to become a physiotherapist but says that kickboxing will always be part of her life.

"My family - they do everything they can to support me and they have given up lots of things to help me.

"The school always shares my achievements - I could be walking down a corridor and a teacher I have never met says well done to me and it's so nice to know that everyone's heard of what I've done."

Lana Strickland is setting her sights on being a physiotherapist, but says kickboxing will always remain part of her life

Dad Alan Strickland said he was "amazed at her commitment and dedication to the training" and was "very proud" of her achievements.

"The support we received from complete strangers... It was really encouraging and nice to know that people had got her corner," he said.

"It can be a bit of a juggle at times. We have got a family calendar on the phone which is pretty full.

"But we all do what we can. Her brother pitches in and runs around when myself and my wife can't."