A GOLD medal student from Birchwood High School will be making his way to the Karate World Cup next year.

Year nine pupil, TJ Parkinson, has managed to reach the top in competitive karate since picking up the sport just over two years ago.

He recently competed in Sheffield and brought home two gold medals in Kata and Kumite, bringing him one step closer to competing in a world tournament in Australia.

Kata involves practicing a series of self-defence moves while Kumite involves non-contact sparring or fighting.

TJ has been described as a credit to his class, displaying a huge amount of effort and commitment to karate.