By Jakob | 30th March 2026

Hi guys, it is Jakob.

Dealing With Injury

Over the past couple of months, I have been managing a knee condition known as Osgood-Schlatter disease. It has made training more challenging, especially when putting pressure through the knee.

More recently, it has started to improve. However, I still feel pain during training, particularly once I have finished and cooled down.

Despite this, I have stayed consistent with my preparation and continued to train as effectively as possible.

Individual Kata

In kata, I opened with Gojushiho Dai, and I felt like I performed it really well.

Unfortunately, I did not get through the first round. From my perspective, it was one of my stronger performances, but the judges saw it differently on the day.

That said, I still believe I performed well. I will be reviewing the video with my coaches to see what could have been done differently and where I can improve. It is all part of the learning process.

Going back to my knee injury, I know my stances could have been longer and lower. However, with the limitations I have had due to the injury, I was not able to fully commit to that depth and length. That is something to take into account, but also something I will keep working on as I recover.

Individual Kumite

My individual kumite did not go the way I wanted, losing 6 to 3 in the first round.

It was a frustrating fight, especially as there was a moment where my teammate called for a coach, but no one came over. That threw me off slightly. Not because I do not know what to do, but it is always reassuring to have someone in your corner.

A coach can spot things you might miss and can also challenge unfair techniques or points awarded to your opponent.

During the match, I took a heavy kick to the head, which is not allowed under the rules. It should have resulted in a warning, but instead, the referee awarded an ippon, which is three points for a scoring technique such as a head kick or a sweep with a follow up.

Not long after, we both landed front hand punches to the head and were each given a yuko, which is a scoring punch. While I was awarded the point, the contact from my opponent was again too heavy and should have led to another warning, but it was not given.

Moments like that are difficult, especially when they affect the outcome of the fight.

That said, I will review the video, work with my coach, and take the lessons from it as I move forward.

Team Kumite

Team kumite was a major highlight for me.

We had three rounds. In the first two, we won both fights straight away, so I did not need to step in. The final round, however, was much tougher.

My teammate won the first fight and then we lost the second, which meant the final match for the gold medal came down to me.

It reminded me of a similar situation I faced at the European Championships last September, where I felt the pressure, lost focus, and did not perform the way I wanted to.

This time was different.

I used that experience, stayed calm, and remained focused throughout the fight. After one minute and thirty seconds, I secured the win and brought home the gold medal for the team.

That moment meant a lot to me, especially after everything I have dealt with over the past two months with my injury.

Final Thoughts

This competition brought both challenges and positives.

Injuries, setbacks, and difficult decisions are all part of the journey. What matters is staying focused, learning from every experience, and continuing to improve.

I will keep working, keep learning, and keep pushing forward.

Here is my fundraiser for your connsideration 🙂

For a full guide, see The Moment Between Rounds When Everything Changes.

For a full guide, see Jakob’s Hard Work, Determination, and Growth.

For a full guide, see Medicine Ball Slams Build Explosive Power for Karate.