Inverness teenager Jamie Borthwick returns to international stage as Charleston Academy pupil prepares for European Karate Federation Championships in Poland
Charleston Academy pupil Jamie Borthwick is set to represent Scotland for the second time at the European Karate Federation Championships next month.
Having already pulled on the national colours at the World Championships last year, the 16-year-old will travel to Bielsko-Biala, Poland to once again test himself on the international stage.
Already a black belt and two-time Scottish champion, that previous experience at a higher level may well prove useful given the World Championship were a very different environment than he was used to.
“I managed to go there on the big stage and do myself proud,” Borthwick explained.
“It was big. There were probably 1000 spectators, so it was different from what I was used to.
“It was very professionally run, and nerve-wracking.
“The standard was so high. I was expecting that going in, and it will be the same at the Europeans.
“There won’t be as many people, but it will still be a high level, and I want to improve on what we did last time.
“I just want to get through my first round. I would love a medal, but it’s not the most realistic, so I want to get through a round.”
Borthwick found out that he was going to next month’s European Championships back in November, and has adjusted his training appropriately.
Adding Scotland squad training in Stirling to his usual three times-a-week regime at Inverness Karate Academy, the teenager has also started working with a personal trainer to be in the best possible shape to go and compete.
It is a far cry from his early memories of karate. Starting at an after-school club at Kinmylies Primary School, it was not long before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, forcing classes to go online.
Coach Sophie Howarth expressed her pride in Borthwick’s development, saying: “Jamie is a great role model for his peers here at Inverness Karate Academy in addition to being a great ambassador for the club.
“This will be Jamie’s second time representing Scotland on the International Stage, a fantastic achievement which is the result of hard work, discipline, and commitment to his training alongside preparing for his prelims at school.”
Helping Borthwick get to the European Championships are Nairn business Boiler and Valve Engineering, who have sponsored the teenager.
Borthwick added: “I don’t know if I would get to these competitions without sponsorship. My mum just put a post up on LinkedIn, and they got in touch saying they would like to support me.
“It’s good to have. It’s an expensive sport, and there’s no funding or anything for it, so the sponsorship does really help.”