10-year-old Kayson Constantine says he wants to become an Olympic and World champion after being awarded his black belt in karate.

The youngster is part of Hackney's Olympic Karate Club and had to produce coursework, a 6,000-word dissertation and provide three letters of recommendation in order to achieve his belt.

He is one of the youngest at the club to ever reach black belt level and is now eyeing further success.

"For me, being a karate black belt is all about what I've always worked for since I was six years old," he said.

"Forever I will be grateful to my senseis and coaches for the tremendous job they have done.

"I am not planning to stop because I have got my black belt.

"I will continue to work and push myself. I can now focus on becoming a world champion and an Olympic gold medallist in 2028."

Constantine recently competed nationally at the WUKF 2018 Dundee World Championship and was ranked seventh in his age group.

He has now set his mind on competing in head-to-head competitions, including the ESKF London Open and WUKF Poland 2020 Championships.

His mother, Samantha Wonderling, was full of praise for Olympic Karate Club.

She said: "They are a really great club. There is a real family feel around the club.

"There is a lot of emphasis placed on the education side of things.

"It was something that I was really pleased he had to do.

"From the others that did it, one was 18 or 19, there was a young lady that was 15 and there were two other boys that were 15.

"He's a really amazing little boy."