A talented martial arts student at The Sheffield College is celebrating after winning a major medal haul in a global kickboxing competition.
Seventeen-year-old Ella Willmott won 10 medals in the Unified World Championships 2023, organised by the World Kickboxing Organisation in Italy in October.
“It feels amazing to win so many gold medals especially given that it was a world championships and the first major event after the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It is a big achievement,” said Ella, who won six gold and three silver medals as well as one bronze medal.
Ella, who is from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, is studying a Sport and Exercise Science Diploma at Level 3 at the college’s Hillsborough Campus on Livesey Street.
Ella’s career ambition is to train as a physiotherapist or sports coach with a view to becoming a stunt artist and double in films in the longer term.
Ella is backed by The Sheffield College’s sport scholarship programme which enables elite athletes to focus on their studies and compete at the highest level.
“The programme has supported me massively by giving me flexible assignment deadlines which allow me to train alongside studying. I also get time off to train and compete when I need it,” explained Ella.
“It has made a big difference to my learning and allows me to focus on my studies and absorb information better because I am not stressing about missing my training or competitions.”
The programme is accredited to Sport England’s Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) which recognises an education institution’s commitment to supporting students who are following a dual career route.
James Ellis, Sport Scholarship Lead, The Sheffield College, said: “It is fantastic to see Ella achieve outstanding success in her sport whilst achieving in her studies. It can be tough juggling high level training and competing with education and training. Our sport scholarship programme enables elite athletes to do both so they do not have to choose between their sport and their studies.”
Find out more about our next college-wide open day on Wednesday, 15th November 2023.
Pictured: Kickboxer Ella Willmott won 10 medals at the Unified World Championships 2023.
