Intro:

Algeria's kickboxing team are preparing for the World Championships in Brazil, where they have high hopes of picking up medals

Script:

It's not the Orient, it's North Africa, but martial arts are popular here too, particularly kickboxing.

A group of kickboxers gathered in a top sports centre in Algiers on Sunday to go through their paces.

The lucky ones will be travelling to Sao Paulo, Brazil for the World Championships later this month.

Thirty of the country's best fighters have been selected for the camps, but only a small group will actually make the final selection according to head coach Adlan Wali.

The team has the potential to do well with the likes of Algerian and African champion Hatab Hamza, who fights in the under 63-kilogram category.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic/French) Hatab Hamza, Under 63-kilogram category:

"We are preparing in this second training camp, it's going really well, we will then go into a third camp. We are preparing to do well in the world championships in Brazil. We will hopefully do well. I am working on a gold medal to make my people happy."

For most fighters Brazil will be their first time on the world stage and whatever happens, the experience will be invaluable.