THIS IS the boy from Chingford who has conquered the world of karate, proudly wearing the medals which prove it.
Seventeen-year-old Jason Plumb is recently back from Cancun, in Mexico.
It was there at the World Shotokan Karate Championship that he became planet earth’s karate crown-prince.
At the end of ten gruelling bouts he was a double champion, with a silver and bronze medal to his name as well.
That haul took him to the top of the cadet rankings, earning him the title of world number one.
It is some achievement, but then Jason has been a black-belt since he was an eight-year-old child, when he trained at Rushcroft School.
And he had to get time off from his studies at George Monoux College to achieve the success.
This week, Jason told the Guardian it was all worthwhile.
“It feels brilliant,” he said. “I lost a toenail in a bout, but it’s not so bad when you are standing on the podium.”
He added that doing it as a member of the England team makes it all the sweeter.
He first came to the attention of the national selectors when he was 11-years-old.
And after sailing through the ranks, proud mother Janet was dojo-side in Cancun to see her son’s moments of triumph.
“I’m absolutely delighted. It’s a dream come true. We were cheering for him all the way.
“He’s been doing karate since he was five-years-old.”
Now the family expect to be attaching an extension onto Jason’s trophy cabinet in the near future.
The youngster harbours ambitions to be an electric engineer when he finishes school.
Karate is his life-long passion, though.
“It’s something that I love. I was just drawn to it. It’s good for the streets if you ever get attacked.”
But it is the dojo calling Jason, not the pavement.
He wants to be in Austria this November, when England compete at the European Championship.
It means stepping up a level to the junior category.
“I’ve never fought in that category. But I’m confident.”
And with good reason. The two gold medals Jason is wearing were won in the Kata and Kumite competitions, the latter of which was achieved with two team-mates. He is also sporting his silver medal for the junior team Kata event and his bronze from the individual Kumite.
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