Carson Coles: Bristol Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete aiming for top after year of success

Carson has racked up all these medals in just one year of competition success

A teenager from Bristol is aiming to be the "best in the world" at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after enjoying a year of European competition success.

Carson Coles, 19, from Brentry, has won 22 competition medals in the last year.

Among them was a victory at Polaris 20 - Europe's biggest invite-only grappling event - in June.

"I spend more waking hours training than I do at home, and probably more than sleeping hours," Coles told BBC Points West.

"It's hard to say how much this sport means to me, but I'm not taking this lightly.

"I don't want to be the best in the gym, or the best in the UK, or Europe, I want to be the best in the world."

Martial art Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu [BJJ] is based on ground fighting and submission holds. It sees athletes use joint locks or choke holds to force the opponent to submit, or earn points by gaining positions on their opponent.

The sport is growing in popularity in the UK and BJJ techniques are a staple of mixed martial-arts competitions, such as UFC.

Coles, who has been fighting since the age of 10, makes his living from coaching and competing in BJJ full-time.

An average day sees the teenager training for five hours, teaching for a few hours, and weightlifting for an hour.

All of this is done under the watchful eye of head coach Luke Chamberlain at Gracie Barra Westbury - a martial arts school in Southmead, Bristol.

"In the next five years, Carson will become the best grappler in the world, I have no doubt about that," Chamberlain said.

"He's a fantastic tool for the room, people get to experience the highest skill available.

"For our other athletes he's the gold standard and, for me as a coach, he teaches me every day."

Carson has been tutored by Luke Chamberlain since day one

'Putting Bristol on the map'

Coles now holds a purple belt - the third out of five belts available to adult BJJ athletes - despite missing 15-16 months of training and competing when he was 16 due to a knee injury.

Ultimately, his aim is to reach the pinnacle of black belt within the next few years.

"It's a dream to not just fight guys my own size but bigger and smaller guys too," Coles said.

"I've picked up 22 medals this year. In five years I will be nearing my black belt, so that will be competing amongst the best.

"I'll still be young at the age of 24, and hopefully performing at my best."

The training centre Coles uses is in the same area where he grew up and, as a part of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community in Bristol, he wants to play his part in helping the sport grow, too.

"As far as Jiu-Jitsu goes, the sport is quite new and I want to put Bristol and Southmead on the map," he said.