Thomas Blyth always wants to test himself against the very best.
And the 18-year-old from Perth will soon get the chance to do just that after receiving a special Scotland call-up.
The former St John’s Academy student has been selected to represent the national team at the European Karate Championships in the Czech Republic.
Thomas will be competing in the male under-21 category at 75kg weight in the capital Prague from June 17-19.
“This is my first national team event,” Thomas explained to the Perthshire Advertiser.
“There is only one person from every country that gets to go. Every country is sending their best fighter.
“The most exciting part of it all is coming up against the best. Getting the chance to compete against the best is only going to push me further.
“Every single fight is different. No two fights are the same. I really just want to put in the best performance I possibly can and give a good representation of myself.”
Thomas’ karate journey started at the age of eight in hometown Perth but he now trains in Dunfermline at the Honbu Dojo, JKS Scotland headquarters.
He said: “I was managing to get some good results and that spurred me on to work even harder.”
That hard work has resulted in Thomas picking up plenty of karate experience overseas, including in the likes of Mexico, Sweden and Belgium.
“I’ve been all over the place,” he smiled. “I didn’t think it was possible and didn’t know that side of it existed.
“But we set goals at the end of the year, short-term and long-term - and I always wanted to be in the national team.”
Despite the event in Prague being a couple of months away, the training is of course already well under way.
Through the years Thomas has been required to make sacrifices to reach this level, but his dedication has opened up a number of doors in the sporting world.
“I had a competition at the weekend and then I will move home from uni in Aberdeen to go into a training camp,” Thomas said of his plans.
“That will be four nights a week, and then every Saturday and Sunday with the national team.
“During the week I will be training with my club. I enjoy the training. I still train basic karate and that is the reason I am where I am today.
“But it’s more than just training in the dojo. It’s going to the gym and watching what I eat.
“I can’t go out and enjoy time with my friends as much. There needs to be a mental strength to say no.
“I’ve missed out on things but I have also gained opportunities in the sport.”
Longer-term, Thomas is setting his sights on bumping up to the senior national team.
He said: “I’ve still got a few years left at U21 but, while doing that, you can also compete at senior level. Hopefully I will be pushing for that and then have longevity with the senior team too.”
Thomas has a fundraising page for his trip to the European Championships.
To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/european-karate-championships-2022-prague
