Who is Joe Kellaway?
Red Tiger has access to many topflight karate athletes, including the ones that are part of the club. We have formed a long-standing relationship with one in particular, Joe Kellaway. Joe has taught many courses for us over the last few years both person and, during Covid, online. But just who is he and what is his story?
Joe has been into sports for the whole of his life and began karate at six years old after he was inspired by the sweeps and kicks of his TV heroes the Power Rangers. Although he did not begin doing the kumite we know him for today for a few more years.
“I started quite late, I was 9 when I began fighting, a lot of kids start at 7 so they already had 2 years more experience than me, so I’ve always played catchup and I’ve also had to find my training, travel a lot to get to sessions and good classes and find that extra training I needed.”
“From the age of getting my first cap for the England junior team for the world championships, [Karate] kind of got quite serious since then and that was 2011”
Joe speaks of the about the importance of failures and how he used what he learnt to get better and better.
“There is always someone out there working twice as hard and they will catch up, and that was me, I caught up.”
Joe has a number of national titles to his name, including the 10k karate clash, a charity event where the winner takes home the richest prize in karate £10,000, which he won in 2017.
He then went on to win bronze in the 2019 European Karate Championships in Spain which led him to be selected for the Team GB squad at the Minsk 2019 European Games.
Joe is England’s top ranked WKF competitor. As well as a European Bronze Medallist he is also the EKF National Champion in the -75kg category. Competing in the most talent stacked category fighting, Joe Sensei is vastly experienced and has fought against the likes of the GOAT Rafael Aghayev, Luigi Busa and Stanislav Horuna.
Olympic Hopes
The Tokyo games were the first-time karate was to be featured at the Olympics and Joe was determined to qualify putting in a lot of time. As we know not the games, that were scheduled for Summer 2020 had to be delayed until the following year due to the pandemic. Joe adapted to the Covid 19 and trained and coached on Zoom.
“Teaching on Zoom has been pretty good to be fair, I mean it’s hard because you can’t correct anyone, you can only describe what they are doing wrong… to be honest though it improves your teaching, as you have to give out more detailed instructions.” He plans to continue his Zoom sessions even after lockdown, as they have proved to be incredibly successful.”
The pandemic did not shake Joe’s motivation and he continued to train online an in person where possible using the facilities at the national Taekwondo centre in Manchester. A place we at RTK know well as we have often held gradings there, and even a past course with Joe.
To qualify for the Tokyo games last year Joe needed to rank well at the 2021 Karate World Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Paris. Unfortunately, he was knocked out in the early rounds and thus his dreams of an Olympic medal were over.
Credit: Thomas Kaserer
Mixed Martial Arts
Joe is a lifelong martial artist who is no stranger to MMA after being introduced to the sport by his coach, Paul Newby. The stand-up side has been quite natural to pick up for him but is loving the challenge of learning the BJJ and wrestling side of the game.
“I don’t wanna do it just to say I’ve done it. I wanna be good at it, be it boxing or MMA, I wanna go to my full potential. I don’t want to do it half-hearted because it is a sport where you can get seriously hurt. So, you have to go in with the intention that you’re going to take this as far you can.”
Outside of Martial Arts
Since the age of 15, Joe has been into fashion, always into trends and having his own style and so had always had a love for clothes.
“I just saw fight wear brands and you only ever see it at events or to training and I wanted to do something where people could feel comfortable wearing it to a bar or restaurant. I want it to be every day and for people to feel proud of what they do.”
The clothing line he produces is focused on Karate, but he ideas to expand into Boxing, MMA and Grappling.
The Next Course
We are holding another course with Joe on the 30th Of January 2022 on ZOOM due to current levels of COVID across Greater Manchester.
Date: Sunday 30th January
Time: 11.30am-12.30pm
£10.00 per household
No Gi or experience necessary, open to all Clubs and Associations.
Booking Link:
He continues his series of courses specifically designed to improve our striking techniques, kicking techniques and our movement. This is a brilliant opportunity to learn from a competitor in his prime at the top of his game.
Want to become a good fighter? Or go from being good to great?
Get yourself booked on!
Credits to: Sports Gazette, IMMAF and The Basement
