Braden Ivey competes at the World Championships in Melbourne, Aulstralia on May 10-12.

Last month, 11-year-old martial arts athlete Braden Ivey took home a world championship in Melbourne Australia. Today, Ivey will be participating in the State Games of Mississippi as he tries to add a state title to his trophy case as well.

    Ivey is one of three members of the AAU National team who will be competing in the State Game’s Martial Arts Competition beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Meridian Community College Gym.

    Also competing in the games are Ivey’s teammates Maci Ossett and Zach Carver.

    Ossett took home a world championship in the 16-17 age division, and Carver earned a bronze medal in the 14-15 division.

    For Ivey, martial arts have been a big part of his life since he began at the age of six. Now the sport allows Ivey to travel all across the nation and the world, including his most recent trip to Melbourne Australia for the world championships on May 10-12.

    “It was a long trip,” Ivey said. “It’s been cool, I just like the fighting. I also made a lot of friends in Australia.”

    Accompanying Ivey on the trip was father and coach, Mike Ivey. The proud father said martial arts allows him to bond with his son and spend quality time seeing different places together. The trip to Australia might just be his favorite one yet.

    “It was something we got to do together,” Mike Ivey said. “ Seeing him win, It was a proud moment, no doubt.”

    While coaching his son has been a thrill, Mike Ivey said sometimes the matches can get pretty nerve racking from the sidelines.

    “You are excited and kind of anxious,” Mike Ivey said. “You don’t want to see your kids get hurt, and that’s always in the back of your mind.”

    Martial arts has run in the Ivey family for quite some time now, as Mike Ivey’s father got him involved in the sport at a young age as well. Now, he said he enjoys watching his son enjoy the sport and hopes it will continue to be passed down in the family.

    “My dad is the one that taught me karate,” Mike Ivey said. “It’s fun to see how it improves each generation. I was a little better than my dad, and my kids are a little better than me. I expect that when their kids get into it, they will be even better than they are. It’s just fun to watch the improvement from generation to generation.”

    Mike Ivey, who will serve as the State Games martial arts commissioner, said the sports offers more than just athletic advantages to participants.

     “I did karate, and I saw how it has helped me,” Mike Ivey said. “The majority of what it teaches is discipline. Of course, it is good exercise and you can learn how to defend yourself, but to me the biggest thing it teaches is discipline.”

     Today’s competition will be broken into age groups ranging from age four to 45. There will be separate competitions for three different categories including point sparring, weapons and form.