A NINE-YEAR-OLD who lives in Coventry is celebrating after winning 14 gold medals throughout 2025 to become the number one ranked athlete in his category.
Kickboxer Kevin Andrei Cojocaru has enjoyed a rapid rise in the sport after moving to Coventry earlier this year from his native Romania.
The nine-year-old starlet began training the sport in Romania at the Academia Catalin Morosanu under coach Tudor Potoroaca.
Kevin won numerous national competitions and became a double European champion when representing his country at the ISKA AMA European Championship in Malta in April.
After moving to Coventry in April, Kevin began training with James Dixon at Lions Gym in the city.
And he has continued to excel in the sport since relocating to Coventry in the -30kg category.
He won two gold medals and a bronze at the WKO European Open Championships in Barnsley in May
Kevin then won gold and two silver medals at the WKO K1 National Championships in Basildon in June.
He returned to Barnsley for the WKO Open World Championships in August where he won three gold medals and three silvers.
The following month, Kevin won gold and silver at the ICO Oxford Champions Open.
A third trip to Barnsley later in September saw Kevin win one gold, two silvers and one bronze medal at the WKO British Open Championships.
And he finished the year with two gold medals and a silver at the WKO K1 World Championships in Basildon in October.
He also ranked first in the top-10 individuals at the ISKA British Open with four gold medals in the -30kg category and a silver in the -35kg division.
The World Kickboxing Organisation (WKO) ranks Kevin as the number one nine-year-old in the -30kg K1 category and the number one overall Muay Thai fighter.
He has recently started training with coaches Neil Kelly and Mushy Younis at the USKA Fight Factory in Birmingham.
Kevin is sponsored by MAR International who provide him with high-quality equipment for his training and competitions.
