NOT one, not two, but a North Yorkshire martial arts powerbase is savouring three double world champions.

The terrific triple slam was achieved in less than a fortnight, started by Haxby-based Tony Dias, who runs the United Martial Arts gym in Norton.

He bagged world titles in the World Kickboxing Council championships in Italy and then in the International Sport Kickboxing Association global championships in Cyprus.

And there on the Mediterranean island, two of his students, New Earswick’s Stu Philips and York-based Martin Baulkalns, also seized a brace of world titles apiece.

Just for good measure, Nikita Pavlovets won a world crown while Lewis Smith was just edged into the silver place in his final, though he went one better to strike gold in the team competition.

Said a delighted Dias: “To have three double world champions from the one gym is just amazing. The lads, who are from all across York, could not have done much better and the success at ISKA has given the entire gym a massive buzz.

“All told, of the 11 fighters who competed in Cyprus, British lads came back with eight gold medals.”

The first leg of the triple-double was achieved by Dias, who prevailed at the WKC tournament in the Italian town of Taranto in southern Italy.

He won the 48 years and above category to complete the full house of the WKC organisation with previous title triumphs in the 42 to 46 year age grouping and then 46 to 48.

Dias then led his men to the northern Cypriot town of Kyrenia for the ISKA showdown, where the golden habit spread.

Phillips – sponsored by Hunters the estate agent and rtlwear.co.uk – successfully defended his 75-kilogramme full contact crown beating a home-grown Cypriot opponent in the final. He also entered the minus-71k event, where he gathered in his second world title.

Next up for the 27-year-old Phillips is an English middleweight championship title battle in Birmingham on November 24 against Mohammed Quronfleh of the Paragon Gym in London.

The busiest of all the York fighters in Cyprus was Baulkalns. After taking a silver in the mixed martial arts event, and bronze in the low-kick tournament, he won kickboxing gold in the light-contact 63k division, repeating the feat in the minus-60k discipline.

Club-mate Pavlovets, making his competitive debut, won the 75-kilo light-contact gold after triumphs over Cypriot and Scottish rivals.

Smith saw off Iranian and Turkish opponents on his way to the 81k final, but he was consigned to silver by a Leeds-based rival.

However, he was entered into the three-man GB team for the team event which yielded him a deserved gold.

Dias then finished the golden trend, which he had started, by capturing the masters crown for his fifth world title in eight years.