Christopher ‘CJ’ Wilkinson competed in the 2014 Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championships
Camera IconChristopher ‘CJ’ Wilkinson competed in the 2014 Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championships Credit: Supplied/David Baylis

CJ a champ at just 5

Staff ReporterCanning Gazette

Training four days a week at Nine Dragon Martial Arts Academy in Canning Vale, the five-year-old is on his way.

In March, after only nine months of training, CJ competed in his first competition, the Western Australian State Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Titles in Perth.

The pre-primary student took out the state title, winning a gold medal in the 20kg No Gi Male all belts six-year-old division.

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In August, CJ travelled to Melbourne to compete in the Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championships.

Competing against people bigger than him, CJ still managed to win the Australian title at the event.

He said that he was happy with his performance and excited to do well.

‘I like training and learning how to fight, but not at home,’ CJ said.

Michael Martino has been training CJ at the Academy.

Martino said that when CJ started out in the sport, he was shy and non-engaging.

But now he genuinely liked training and loved a good victory.

‘CJ, like so many young children here, is overflowing with potential,’ Mr Martino said.

‘As a young athlete in his first year of training, to have obtained a state title and an Australian title in under a year of training is an outstanding effort.

‘As far as his future goes, I would like to think that he will go from strength to strength.

‘I think that he will embrace the occasional loss as it’s good for his development and for his character.’

In the past 12 months, the Nine Dragon Martial Arts Academy’s junior team has taken out more than 100 state and national medals.