Young Greek born Aussie Jason Pogkas has been selected to represent Australia in the WKF World Karate Championships in Venice this October.
The Bacchus Marsh boy will be in the cadet event at the Junior Worlds and is hoping to add to add another medal to his already decorated young career.
At just 15, he has already won a silver medal at the 2022 Australian Open and a gold at the Nationals.
The following year he took home gold and silver in the respective events and this year won bronze at the Australian Open and silver at the Nationals.
At this year’s Australian Open in Sydney, Jason had to do a fight off with another boy from South Australia to win his spot at the world event.
He won two out of the three bouts.
“I really wanted to win the fight off and win my spot for Junior Worlds,” he told Neos Kosmos.
“Before my bout I had my coach supporting me and also during my fight.
“I was really nervous, and I was happy to have the Victorian team cheering me on.
“It’s definitely something I will never forget.”
Jason was born in Evia, Greece to a Greek Australian mother, Sophie, and Greek father Konstantinos.
In December 2011, when he was two and a half years old, the family moved to Australia.
He got his start in Karate when he was five-years-old and is currently a 1st Dan (rank).
Karate runs in the family with Jason’s brothers Damien, 11, and Dion, eight, also competing.
Like Jason, Damien won a medal at the Nationals this year, taking home the gold.
And their mother Sophie also does karate, currently a 1st Dan and is looking to grade to 2nd Dan next April.
“No matter what happens in Italy, we are proud of him for representing his country at such a young age,” Sophie told Neos Kosmos.
The family leaves for Europe on September 17, where Jason will compete in a number of events ahead of the Junior Worlds.
First up will be the Budapest Open next weekend, after that they’ll fly to Rome where Jason will be competing in another Italian tournament in Ostia.
Next up is Milan where all the Australian team will meet at the Australian Institute of Sport in Gavirate, where he will stay there and train for the week.
After the Junior Worlds in Venice, they will head to Greece for a week to see yiayia and papou in Koskina.
