Final-year BA Modern History student Emma Lucraft has defeated the best in Europe to claim victory at the European Junior Karate Championships.

Emma won the under-21 Junior Kata title at the Championships after travelling with the England team to compete in Konya, Turkey.

Emma celebrates her success with her coach Jonathan Mottram.

Balancing her academic commitments in the Department of History at Essex alongside hours of training and high-level competition, Emma has achieved incredible success over the past few years and is also a World Bronze medalist.

She was particularly excited by the victory as this was her last major tournament as a junior.

She said: “It was an amazing feeling to finish my Junior career on such a high before making the transition to competing as a senior.

“Unfortunately I was unable to compete in the Junior European Championships last year as I was struck with appendicitis a day before we were due to travel to the tournament. This was devastating, but made it even more rewarding when I came back and won the Championships this year, beating last year’s winner in the process.

“All of the hard work and dedication paid off and it was great to be standing on the top of the podium and to hear the national anthem being played.”

Emma on the podium after receiving her medal.

Now Emma is looking to the future and aiming for success at Senior level both for the England team and the University.

She said: “My training will now continue as I am currently preparing for the Senior European Championships in Budapest in May. I also represented the University of Essex at the British University Championships (BUCS) last weekend and won. This means that I am eligible to compete at the European University Championships in Budapest in July.”

Emma with her coach Jonathan Mottram and fellow medalist Kieran Nunkoo.