Barnsley Karate Centre's Alex Gardner became British Universities Champion for the third year in a row at Ponds Forge in Sheffield on Sunday.
The 21-year-old – who has represented his country at youth level – has won the student event in each of his three years studying Sports Science with Performance Coaching at Sheffield Hallam.
Gardner said: "I am really happy to win it again. "There was a lot of pressure on me to win it for the third year in a row."
Gardner has now qualified for the World University Championships in Montenegro in June and is hoping to better the bronze he claimed in Slovenia two years ago. He is also planning to open his own karate centre and is hoping to succeed in the senior category.
He said: "I have competed against grown men since I was 16 so I am used to it. I have competed for England at senior level in team competitions but I would like to represent my country individually.
"I would also like to get a medal at the European or World Championships. "I will be coaching in Australia when the next Worlds are on but I am aiming for the Europeans in a year's time."
