YORK is becoming a hive of martial arts activity if recent championships at Sheffield's Concorde Leisure Centre are anything to go by.

The Oriental Sports Association School of Martial Arts, based at Bellfarm Social Hall, Huntington Road, enjoyed 100 per cent success as they sent three fighters to the European Martial Arts British Open Championships and saw all three return with medals.

In addition, the York Martial Arts Academy, based at Foxwood Community Centre, sent 18 fighters of all ages to the Regional (Yorkshire) championships at the same venue and saw five return with medals.

The OSA trio were led by Rich Brown, who won through five knockout rounds before claiming the gold medal in the under-80kg category.

Younger brother Gareth Brown won silver at under-70kg, while Victor Tong picked up bronze at under-75kg. All three medals were in the 'light continuous' section, in between full-contact and semi-contact.

Senior instructor at the OSA club, Geoff Rennison, said: "We have about 60 in the club altogether but they were the three we sent to the tournament and we're pretty pleased to have a 100 per cent success rate.

"They've trained hard - they've been training since they were children - and they deserve it."

The successful quintet from York Martial Arts Academy came back with three gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

Twenty-one-year-old Mark Long - brother of Craig Long, who runs the club - took gold in the men's heavyweight 'light continuous' category, Leah Winn, eight, won the girls' under 4ft 4in category and 11-year-old Peter Greenwood was triumphant in the boys' under 5ft 2in section.

The silver and bronze medals both came in the girls' under 5ft 2in category, through 12-year-olds Jay Spain and Cara Sandford respectively. All the categories for Under 16s are semi-contact only.

Mark Long is from Tang Hall, Greenwood is from Skelton, and the other trio are from Acomb.

Craig Long, who took over running the club last March, said: "It was the first competition for three of them and I'm very proud of them all.

"We also had fighters go out and win seven or eight rounds but not get a medal. They all did well."

Updated: 10:03 Saturday, March 06, 2004