The face of 2017 European Taekwon-Do (EITF) Championships heading to Liverpool

A British teenager, James Moran, is the upcoming face of the 2017 European Taekwon-Do (EITF) Championships, set to take place in Liverpool, in April 2017.

Fresh faced James was chosen to be at the front of all promotional shoots for the event that represents 1 of the fastest growing martial arts in the world, Taekwon-Do.

At 16 years old, James is already the title holder of British Champion for the 2014 and 2015 UKTA and BTF Championships, London Champion 2015 and won the bronze in last year's EITF competition.

This year, James will have the honour of representing the country as Captain of the Junior team at the 2017 EITF Championships and is training hard to ensure he will be at his best for the event.

'Instafamous' James, has an impressive 27,000 plus Instagram followers who have been eagerly tracking his progress and supporting him through his day to day training with messages of encouragement.

James said:- "I can't wait and I am absolutely determined to make my country proud! The 2017 European ITF Championships are going to be big, a lot bigger than people may think. Liverpool is 1 of the greatest Cities in the world and we are all proud to be representing our country there. I believe that the legacy the event is going to leave will be massive. Making the decision to walk through that door to my 1st ITF training session was the best decision I've ever made. When committing to something, the 1st step is always the hardest part. I remember seeing a poster when I was only four and being fascinated with the energy it projected. From then on there was no going back and I have now been training for over 12 years. Taekwon-Do is a wonderful sport. Not only it is great for confidence, mentally and physically, it also teaches you that you can do anything whilst keeping a cool head. The sport taught me never take no for an answer, if somebody says you can't do something, then, work hard until you prove them wrong. 1 of the biggest values in Taekwon-Do is that of respect. In Taekwon-Do you must respect everyone you meet, no matter what grade or who they are. You are also encouraged to ask questions and be curious. The more you put into the sport, the more you will get out."

However, being a rising Taekwon-Do champion requires sacrifice and dedication. James trains eight times a week at his local ITF club, Spirit Worrier Taekwon-Do and at Performance Gym in Hereford. On top of Taekwon-Do he also implements various training methods including MMA, body building, sprinting, boxing and rugby, which all benefit certain aspects of his training regime. His diet too, is carefully planned and he meticulously records his meals. "I could tell you what I have eaten every single day for the past 6 months!" said James.

The championships will take place at Liverpool's Echo Arena from 24th to 30th April 2017, marking the 50th anniversary of Taekwon-Do in the UK. As many as 1,500 athletes from 37 Countries are expected to compete, so let's wish James and his team the very best of luck!

Tickets are currently on sale at online at a cost of £16.90 for a full ticket, £9 concessions.