Deafness no barrier for 11-year-old champion Scarborough kickboxer

Coach Kris Crump described Limerick as a "beast"

An 11-year-old champion kickboxer has proved deafness is no barrier to sporting success after punching her way to several world title wins.

Limerick Goodwin, who is bilaterally deaf, is fast becoming a rising star, according to coach Kris Crump.

The Scarborough schoolgirl uses a special radio aid to communicate with her coach when training and competing.

She said her dream was to reach Olympic level and hoped to inspire others with a disability that they too can succeed.

Limerick, along with her younger sister Lilly-Anne, who is also deaf, train at KCMA Martial Arts in York where they both use the radio aids.

The technology involves Mr Crump wearing a microphone which then live streams into the girls' hearing aids enabling them to fully participate.

The sisters both use radio aids so they can experience the classes the same as their teammates

Using the device has "levelled the playing field" for Limerick and meant she doesn't have to solely focus on competing in disability events, Mr Crump said.

He added: "It means we can go to any tournament in the world and have the same amount of play that anyone else has."

Since joining, Limerick has gone on to win numerous competitions and is currently a six-time World Kickboxing Organisation world champion. She was also was awarded The Young Deaf Sports Personality of the Year earlier this year.

Mr Crump said the amount of work Limerick put in was "insane" and described her as a "beast".

Limmerick is a six-time WKO World Champion

"To overcome what she has already and be naturally as gifted as she is but not be snobby about it - one of the most humbled kids I've ever seen - and just goes out there and does it on the mat, as a coach it's the dream."

Limerick said she hoped kickboxing would eventually be included in the Olympics as competing at that level was her ultimate ambition.

She added: "I'm proud of myself. I just love to fight and win."