'Over the moon': London, Ont. teen heading to Beijing to train with Jackie Chan’s stunt team

Ninth grader Eccaia Sampson has been doing karate for nine years and in the last five years she has been training in movie stunts.

“I joined a demo team out of Toronto, and we went to perform at a event called Movie Expo, where you can be seen and heard by all types of people in the industry, and through that I discovered the stunt world firsthand, and that was really when I decided that was something I wanted to do,” explained Sampson.

It is her passion for karate and stunts that has her packing her bags to head to Beijing, China this June.

The 14-year-old black belt has been invited by Master Philip Sahagun to train at the one-of-a-kind training camp called the ‘Jackie Chan Stunt Camp’ where she will get to work with some of the world’s most renowned experts.

“I was shocked, and then after that I was just absolutely ecstatic, it’s such an amazing opportunity, I was over the moon,” said Sampson, after learning that she was selected as one of the Canadians to take part in the competition this year.

14-year-old black belt Eccaia Sampson and her coach Jake Lindsay as seen inside Family Karate in London, Ont. on May 22, 2024. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London) Jake Lindsay, head instructor at Family Karate where Sampson trains, said she’s got a great work ethic.

“She is constantly working, whether she has a slight injury, whether she’s not feeling the best, she’s always ready to give 110 per cent no matter what challenge or obstacle is in front of her,” said Lindsay.

Sampson added that with the support from her sponsors Family Karate and Music City Canada, she was able to raise the funds to go on the trip and attend the JC training camp.

“I am looking forward to just learning all different styles of stunt training, but also we are taking a trip to the Shaolin Temple to train with the Shaolin Monks,” she said.

The ninth grader hopes to inspire other youth to follow their dreams.

“I know it can seem very scary, very intimidating to get into this because it’s such a big industry, there are so many unknowns but just go for it,” said Sampson.