Brighouse boxers taste success

Amateur boxers from Sanctus Fitness and Boxing in Brighouse are enjoying success with Dylan Daly recently winning the 57kg Yorkshire Champion belt in Leeds to make him twice Yorkshire Champion at this weight. Teammate Emily Aked became Yorkshire Champion in the England Boxing national amateur competition following a second-round stoppage in the regional finals and has gone on to get bronze at elite level in the all-England amateurs held at Barnsley Metrodome.

Head coach Shane Thewlis stated he ‘could not be prouder of the pair. Dylan has had to overcome many hurdles this season and his perseverance is a testament to his character making him a role model. This is why he was chosen as boxing team captain this season. Emily, who is both a boxer and boxing coach, is an inspiration to the younger girls she coaches. She’s at home at elite level and previously also won gold medals in the 2023 National Development Champions and the Female Winter Box Cup. We’re only in our second season as a boxing club, so it’s exciting to see hard work paying off.’

‘My husband and daughter agree with me that we’ve a second family at Sanctus,’ explained Emily, adding ‘Shane and Kathryn help everyone feel part of the most supportive community possible. I enjoy coaching girls and women because whether the motive is fitness or competition it's great to see women in boxing. I’m looking forward to a big future with Sanctus as I embark on England Boxing’s Women’s Coaching Development Programme.’

‘Winning the belt is an incredible achievement for me, I’m proud to represent Sanctus for the Yorkshire title,’ said sixteen-year-old Dylan. ‘The culmination of all the hard work, dedication, and training that I've put in during extensive cardio sessions and gruelling spars. The support from my friends, family, and coaches means the world to me. With determination and perseverance, anything is possible. I'm deeply grateful to everyone at Team Sanctus’.

Sanctus Fitness and Boxing opened in June 2021 and is an England Boxing affiliated club offering introductory classes for children from five. ‘We’ve an active competitive boxing team and are producing Yorkshire champions,’ said chief coach Shane Thewlis and offer strength and conditioning classes and adult boxing sessions with an average of twenty per class.’

‘We work with fourteen Calderdale and Bradford schools delivering Box Champions, a social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) programme using boxing and mentoring to help young people and we’ve worked with 725 young people through private referrals from schools, mental health practitioners and social services through funding from BBC Children in Need and the National Lottery Million Hours scheme.’

Contact the club at [email protected] or visit www.sanctusfitness.co.uk or call 07508 120101 if interested in training with the club or for further general information.