This was highlighted by the 52-year-old recently being inducted in the United States and Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

"It all started when I received a phone call from Master Paul Mitchel - he is a master of Tae Kwon Do and I have known him from our tournament days in NAS (National All Styles) events that we competed in," Lea, whose induction ceremony was in Canberra in 2019, said.

"He had called me to say I had been recommended for the hall of fame and to supply all of the evidence of my grades" and so on - which led to me being inducted.

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"It's always nice to be recognised by your peers and to receive a hall of fame honour - I do hold a couple overseas, but to receive an Australasian Martial Art Hall of Fame is a great honour.

"I had trained with many of the recognised Masters that were present on the day, and now I'm part of the Hall of Fame Awards ceremony."

Lea's journey all started in 1974 as a six-year-old when he started karate at the Parramatta Police Boys Club with Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate Association.

"I started my training when I was six, my mum thought that it would be a great idea for the family to do karate as both my elder brother and I needed some discipline and motivation, to keep us out of trouble," he said.

"I love the discipline and history the most - karate is very structured and has everything that a young child needs providing they can adapt to the training."

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Lea's ascension in the sport was quick, with him becoming the youngest blackbelt [at the time] at age 16, then confirmed as a master in Japan by Hanshi Kenji Sakamoto in 2005.

2010 marked the first of his three (along with 2014 and 2018) karate world titles, with him also taking out the World Arnis Championship in Canada in 2014.

In 2014, he was the highest-graded westerner in World Sikaran Brotherhood Philippines seventh degree black belt by Col. Meliton Geronimo in Baras, Philippines.

"Karate has taken me too many countries around the world, from Europe, all of Asia, the US and Canada," he said.

"My favourite places would be Okinawa, mainland Japan and Philippines, where I continue to train and develop my skills in all the different martial arts.

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"That training has involved learning Okinawan kobudo (weaponry) Japanese Sword (kenjitsu) Philippine martial arts Kali (knife fighting), arnis (stick fighting) and sikaran (foot fighting).

Also in 2014, he attained his seventh degree black belt in the International Kali/Arnis Federation by Grand Master Vincente Sanchez Marikina, Philippines and won the world Arnis titles as well.

"My greatest achievement would be receiving my ninth Dan Red belt in Japan given to me by Soke Katsumi Okubo this grade was also granted by the World Okinawan Karate Kobudo Association and Japan Karate Masters Association," he said.

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"My good friend Hanshi Constantino Ceberano, who wrote my letter of introduction to AMAHOF, I have known my whole life from my early days in the Australian Karate Team.

"I was deeply humbled and honoured by this gesture."

Now Lea has retired from competing and turned to teaching the next generation of martial arts students.

He teaches classes at both Sanctuary Point Community Hall and Callala Beach Community Hall, as well as private sessions at his Worrigee home.

He also has schools overseas in both Manilla (Philippines) and Sapporo (Japan) and is in the process of opening one in Winnipeg, Canada.

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"Personally, karate is an amazing sport for everyone - it provides purpose, direction and goals that young people need today," Lea said.

"Providing competition is always a solid idea, as this allows the student to progress and test their resolve, especially with depression these days becoming a bigger issue, this would help with their focus and provide an obtainable goal."

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