BRADFORD'S Katelyn Entwistle has risen to the top of the UK’s official karate rankings – and now has her sights set on the 2020 Olympics.

The 17-year-old took up the sport aged six, and in the 2016 season became the UK’s highest ranked competitor in the Junior Female Kata and the Senior Female Kata categories.

In addition to fine displays at official WKF ranking tournaments this year, Entwistle has achieved five golds, six silver and four bronze placings across Europe in open international tournaments.

With the news that karate has been accepted into the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Ilkley Karate Club member is now seeking funding to pursue her Olympic dreams.

Her manager Adrian Lowes said: "The fact that karate is included, all be it on a trial basis, is fantastic. Unfortunately, until Team Karate GB is formed there will be no funding through regular channels for potential Olympians."

Throughout her short career, the talented youngster has been funded by her family, but to fully reach her potential she needs to attend all ten of the ‘Karate-1’ International Tournaments from the start of 2017.

Along with travel expenses, her family also pay for specialist coaches, physical therapy and equipment so Entwistle is hoping for sponsorship to help reach her goals.

She said: “I am very lucky to have the support of my family. I have to travel to so many places around the world to compete, and train for five to six hours a day, six days a week.

“I just hope that someone can help financially support me in 2017, giving me the opportunity of fulfilling my Olympic ambitions.”

In addition to her gruelling training programme, Entwistle uses her spare time to teach her own junior karate squad at Ilkley Karate Club as she aims to help bring through the next generation of athletes.

Interested sponsors can contact Adrian Lowes by emailing management@katelynkarate.com, while anyone interested in training at Ilkley Karate Club can email Sensei Mark Outterside at sensei@ilkleykarate.co.uk.