Why it matters: Ryan Clover, 22, secured silver at the WTKA Unified World Championships in Italy last October and is set to compete at the WTKA British Open Championship 2026 in Chesterfield on Sunday, 25 January.
The details: Ryan trains at Urban Combat in Ipswich and competes for Team GB. After finishing fourth in his category (79 kilos and under) at the British Nationals, he was called up for the world championships in Italy.
The Ipswich Town fan was at Portman Road for the Fabio Wardley fight when the moment came – an email from his coach saying he had been selected for Team GB. He secured silver in Massa Carrara, losing only to an experienced Italian.
What he's saying: "I got messages from so many people saying you did the country proud. You see what it means to everyone else. It made it even more special," Ryan said.
He took up the sport in 2023 after watching his dad train. "I grew up playing football but I was really intrigued and I quickly fell in love with the sport," he said.
"The thing I enjoy about the sport is that I used to play football and your opponents are often in your face – both physically and verbally after the game. But every single person I've come up against in kickboxing – as soon as the fight is over – you show each other respect."
Ahead of the British Open, he said: "I train up to three times a week and my coaches have been amazing. We are all like one big family. I'm going to throw the kitchen sink at it and give it everything and I'd love to become a British champion."
The bigger picture: Ryan balances his sporting ambitions with studies in creative enterprise at Suffolk New College, where he is working towards setting up his own photography business. He has funded all of his kickboxing travel and equipment through manual labouring jobs.
"We have seen how Ryan has grown in confidence as a photographer and as a person," said Michael Klencher, a photography teacher at the college.
What's next: After Chesterfield, Ryan is applying for university and eyeing the European championships in Barnsley later this year.
The bottom line: A young Ipswich athlete who started kickboxing to spend time with his dad is now self-funding a world-class sporting career while juggling college studies and ambitions to run his own business.
