Redcar teenager hopes to become a kickboxing world champion
17 year-old Jacob Watson is representing England
A teenager from Redcar is hoping to become a kickboxing world champion this week.
17 year-old Jacob Watson is representing England at the ISKA World Championship 2024 event in Austria in the under 60kg weight category.
He is setting his sights on a double triumph in the low contact and full contact forms of kickboxing.
Jacob said: “I would love to come back with a gold in both categories I’ve entered but it is my first time at the world championships so I guess we will just see how it goes.”
Former Sacred Heart pupil Jacob first started kickboxing at the age of five.
He explained: “I don’t know what attracted me to the sport – my dad says I just came home from school one day and said that I wanted to do it.
“It was only later that I found out that my dad had done kickboxing himself when he was younger but he never mentioned it until after I started the sport!”
Jacob, who trains at the Impact Fitness Zone Gym in Redcar, made the England squad in October 2023 and has since gone on to win a silver medal in the British championships and a gold and a silver medal in the European championships.
His athletic endeavours are being supported by the sports department at Middlesbrough College, where Jacob is currently studying a Level 2 course in Gym Instruction.
One of more than 20 students at the College enrolled on the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS), Jacob’s work is tailored to fit around his competitions so that he can be in the best possible shape for events like the world championships.
Jacob explained: “I’ve really enjoyed the course so far and the level of support which I’ve had has made a real difference.
“For example, the class had to do a week of intensive cardio training which was just a week before the world championships. My body would never have recovered in time for the competition if I had had to do that so it’s fantastic to have that leeway and flexibility in what I’m allowed to do.”
Jacob’s tutors at Middlesbrough College – Richard Bailey, Stacie Jones and Jill Patchcott - are full of praise for the 17-year-old’s approach to work and competition.
Richard said: “Jacob only started in September so he’s relatively new to the College but in many ways, he’s a model student.
“He always shows a massive interest in the course, he always gets involved and works hard in all the practical sessions.
“He’s a great student and very mature for his age. He knows what he wants to do and is very good at balancing College work with his kickboxing training and competitions.”
Jacob does kickboxing training three times a week with gym work in between these sessions.
He is due to finish his Level 2 course next summer, after which he is aiming to complete a Level 3 Personal Training course at the College to help towards his career goal of becoming a personal trainer.
Jacob said: “Before I left school, I knew that I wanted to become a personal trainer.
“I tried the A-level and university route but I didn’t enjoy it and it would have taken too long.
“One of my friends is on a Level 3 course at the College and recommended the College to me and it’s been really good so far.
“I want to do the Level 3 next year and then hopefully after that I get taken on at a gym where I can get a client base and build up from there.”