Liverpool, Australia -- He's only 12, but Andre Jamoo knows that if he wants to win he has to train hard.

The Mar Nasai Assyrian College student is training up to four times a week in preparation for the National Taekwondo Championships in Canberra later this year.

He qualified for the tournament after bagging a gold medal at the State Open Taekwondo Championships on August 1.

"I take taekwondo very seriously and I train very hard," he said.

"I enjoyed the competition and gained great experience.

"After winning the competition I felt really good and knew that all my training had paid off."

Andre has stepped up his training regime in the hope of claiming another gold medal at the national championships in October.

As well as perfecting his technique, his training program includes indoor soccer, basketball and jogging.

But the Abbotsbury resident believes the secret weapon to his success is his instructor Grand Master Kim.

"In the weeks leading to the competition, I had very intense training with my master, some of the senior black belts in my club and with my younger brother Julian, who also does taekwondo," he said.

"I'm very fortunate because I've been taught by one of the best martial arts experts, Grand Master Kim, who is the ninth dan black belt in hwa rang do."

By Carleen Frost
http://liverpool-leader.whereilive.com.au