PAULO Martins flew to Dublin earlier this week in search of glory at the First Open Martial Arts World Championships.
The 30-year-old chief instructor at the Bengeworth-based Hidden Tiger Karate Club is chasing the full contact title at the 12 stone category and it is the first time he has entered the event.
"If I thought I wasn't going to win, I wouldn't be going," he said. "I am going to come up against the big boys and it's difficult to judge the opposition but a lot will depend on the draw."
The event started yesterday when hundreds of the world's nest exponents arrived in Ireland.
Martins has been sponsored for the trip by Evesham-based Exclusive Leisure, where he has been preparing for his title quest.
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