NOT even an attack of asthma that put him in hospital could prevent Shayaan Badshah from being a 'miraculous' winner.

It was touch and go as to whether the seven-year-old would even be fit to take part in the United Martial Arts Academy's annual championships.

Yet not only did he make it onto the mat at Manningham Sports Centre but he picked up his first gold medal, winning the yellow belt division.

Proud dad Irfan Badshah said: "It was a miracle that he managed to attend the tournament. He is so passionate about taekwondo, is a keen learner and thoroughly enjoys his sessions.

"He had taken time out due to his asthma but worked hard to catch up with his peers. However, two weeks before the tournament, Shayaan suffered an asthma attack which put him in hospital.

"But he didn't want to miss the competition, so I rang his instructor Mohammed Zamoord about his condition. It was touch and go but thankfully Shayaan's health improved and he was released from hospital.

"I decided, along with Shayaan, that he should give it his best shot – but winning gold was amazing after everything he had been through."

First gold of the day went to eight-year-old Westminster Primary School pupil Mohammed Zayan in the patterns category – and the success of younger brother Mohammed Yaameen, who is six, set a trend for sibling success.

Lilycroft Primary School's Waleed, 11, and Haroon Raja, nine, both won gold, as did sisters Emama, 12, and Noor Aneesa Hussain, nine, of Belle Vue Girls' School and Allerton Primary School respectively.

Family triumphs continued via brothers and sister Ramzan, ten, Haider, seven and Yahya Ali, six, and Kinza Sajjad, eight, all of Iqra Academy, who between them took a silver and three bronzes in sparring and a bronze in patterns.

The relative successes were added to by Musadiq Hussain, eight, of Byron Primary School, and 12-year-old Nabeel Hussain, of Carlton Bolling College, who took gold and silver, and Rehman Ahmed Noor, 17, of Bradford College, and Zeeshan Ahmed, 13, of Carlton Bolling, who won gold and silver.

It was not compulsory to be a sibling to be a medal winner as North Halifax Grammar School's Vyom Gera showed, with the 13-year-old taking a gold in sparring and a silver in patterns.

Carlton Bolling's Showaib Sameer, 16, was also a gold-medal winner in sparring, while ten-year-old Faheem Hussain (Heaton St Barnabas Primary School) was runner-up in sparring.

Waleed Raja and Ramzan Ali were named best fighters and coach Zamoord said it was the most successful tournament for Manningham Sports Centre-based fighters, with home advantage helping.

The event, which returned to Manningham after a ten-year absence, attracted students from Bradford, Leeds, Batley and Dewsbury. Thanks were also due to sponsors Overland Developments, sports centre duty manager Alan Maggs and supervisor Tariq Mahmood.

For further information about taekwondo and the United Martial Arts Academy, contact Zam on 07852-897509.