A TALENTED teenage Saltcoats karate ace is heading on a 15,000-mile round trip to compete in the biggest event of her career. And she is seeking backing from local businesses to help fund the trip.

Aria Pascual (18) recently learned she has been chosen as part of the Scottish national team travelling to Santiago, Chile to compete in the WKF Under 21 World Karate Championships in October. She is representing females age 18-21 kata category. Only one athlete per category is selected. This is a major achievement and will be fourth time Aria has been chosen by the Scottish National Team.

The former Ardrossan Academy pupil is currently studying Sports Science at the University of Stirling.

She said: “I train at Clydebank and Stewarton and do my training at Stirling in my own time when I can find a squash court. I have been doing karate since I was five years old. I just got the email a week past Friday to heard I had been selected and it was really exciting and it’s a big thing a wee lassie from Saltcoats being chosen. I represented Scotland in the Under-18 European Championships in Denmark and that was a brilliant experience.

“To be selected for the World Championships is a great achievement because of the vast amount of competition.”

She now aims to prepare at events in Sweden in April, Turkey in May, Croatia in June and Poland in early October.

Looking ahead she said: “I ultimately want to be world champion and open up my own club.

“My aim for the World Championships is to pick up a medal. Last year I won gold for junior kata in Luxembourg and Ireland. I won silver at a recent event in Ravenscraig Sports Centre. You need a lot of discipline and a champion mindset, I’ve done karate all my life and can’t imagine my life without it.

“My mum gives me so much support and I have had backing from Pat Breen of Breen Roofing, Cunninghame Housing and John Welsh of Maximum Potential but more backing from businesses in the community would be great. Anyone who can help should email ariapascual2012@gmail.com.