15-year-old Roman, a Year 10 pupil at Lawn Manor Academy, has won a silver medal at the Junior Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Championships held in Wolverhampton.
Roman competes in yellow belt division and has been practising Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for six years, having first been encouraged by his dad, who introduced the sport to the whole family.
“It’s a conscious practice now,” Roman explains. “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.”
Earlier this year, Roman won gold at the Welsh Jiu Jitsu Open and he has his sights firmly set on more competitions for the rest of the year, including the Somerset Open in Weston-super-Mare, where he’ll once again represent Swindon among the country’s top young fighters.
Looking further into the future, Roman has his sights set high with ambitions to compete against the best fighters in the world at the prestigious IBJJF Brazilia and Pan Championships.
Russell Langdown, Head of School at Lawn Manor Academy, commented, “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. For more information, visit www.lawnmanor.org.uk
