a day ago
Swindon teen brings home silver medal from world championships
A 15-year-old martial artist from Swindon has brought home a silver medal from the Junior Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Championships.
Roman, a Year 10 pupil at Lawn Manor Academy, competed in the championships in Wolverhampton, representing the yellow belt division.
The dedicated sportsman has been practising Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for six years after his father introduced him and the rest of the family to the sport.
Roman talked about his dedication to the sport, saying: "It's a conscious practice now.
"I train every day.
"It's not just about physical strength, it's about staying sharp, thinking ahead, and staying positive.
"It's helped me stay active and thinking positively and it's good for mental health too.
"Jiu Jitsu is like a community and I've met loads of people and made friends all over the country through competitions."
Roman's commitment to the sport has already seen him win gold at the Welsh Jiu Jitsu Open earlier this year.
He has more competitions lined up for the rest of the year, including the Somerset Open in Weston-super-Mare, where he will again represent Swindon among the country's top young fighters.
Roman also has big ambitions for the future, with plans to compete against the best fighters in the world at the prestigious IBJJF Brazilia and Pan Championships.
Russell Langdown, the head of the school at Lawn Manor Academy, praised Roman's achievements.
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He said: "We're very proud of the immense sporting talent we have at Lawn Manor, across all sports and disciplines.
"Physical activity is so important to all aspects of life, inside and outside of school, and as Roman rightly says, it can nurture a positive and resilient mindset that will benefit him in everything that he does."
Lawn Manor Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust.
