THE Skye's the limit for a talented West Fifer after she became a global martial arts grand champion.

Skye Jolly, 16, said her achievement in winning the 1st Dahn, 13-17 girls' title at the World Kuk Sool Assocation World Championships, held in the United States, had "not really" sunk in.

A student with Kuk Sool Won of Dunfermline, which teaches the historic and martial arts of Korea, she picked up four medals – three of them gold – in five events that secured the coveted accolade of world grand champion.

Woodmill High School pupil Skye travelled to Texas for the competition, which attracted approximately 1,000 competitors across the different ranks, on October 19 and was looking to add to the Scottish, UK and European titles that she currently holds.

Competing in five events – empty hand forms, traditional sword and staff forms (each of which resulted in gold medals), self-defence techniques, in which she won bronze, and point sparring – she accumulated a highest overall points total of 17.

Speaking to Press Sport earlier this week, Skye explained: "I wasn't unconfident but I wasn't going in saying that I was going to get it, and I didn't think I was.

"It was quite a surprising result. I thought maybe I'd come away with a couple of medals, and I'd be happy with that, but to win the whole thing was really good.

"We compete in five different categories. A gold (medal) is worth five points, a silver is worth three, a bronze is worth two and a copper medal is worth one, and whoever has the most points added up at the end gets the grand champion.

"My points was 17 and no-one came very close – I think the person that got closest to me maybe had 10 or 11. There was two golds that I didn't get and they were received by different people, so they then couldn't really get that high.

"I was the only person from Scotland but from the four competitors from Britain, we got three grand champions.

"It was really good to get it with them."

Instructor Craig Hill, who runs the school with wife Tammy, commented: "Obviously I'm super-proud of what Skye has gone on to achieve.

"It's amazing to see that she's managed to win all the championships at her current rank, and this was the one and only opportunity for her to compete in this category at world level as, all going well, she's due to promote to second degree black belt next year.

"It's great for her and the whole club as it's inspired everyone, young and old, to step up their training and see what can be achieved. As her instructors, myself and Tammy are over the moon to see her crowned world grand champion.

"She's achieved so much at her current rank, so it was nice to see that she could get the pinnacle."

Skye, who started in Kuk Sool Won seven years ago, has now won the last nine grand champion titles she has competed for, and thrilled parents Fiona and Derek, and brother Finn, were Stateside to watch her global coronation.

Derek said: "We're unbelievably proud. Basically, since she started, she's had that glimmer of talent and, obviously, Craig's brought that out of her, and she's trained hard.

"She's always been good – her and her brother have always been winning stuff – but it all just came together when she got to black belt."

Fiona added: "Skye's very self-driven. She trains four days week, as well as doing her academic stuff at school, and she comes along, works really hard, listens to the feedback and changes things. It's amazing to see.

"The support from the school, not just Craig, but all the other students and parents, has been great. They've done a bit of fundraising to help fund her trip, and the community spirit has been amazing. It's like it's not just Skye that's going and competing, it's the school.

"As parents, you want your children to reach their potential, and to see her work so hard and get there is awesome."