YORK fighter Dan Ramsden struck gold at the National Aikido Championships in Sheffield.

Ramsden, who competes for the Two Aikido Rivers Club in York, joined Bradford-based Phil Hargreaves to take the Randori-No-Kata pairs title at the English Institute of Sport.

The former Manor Road School pupil's achievement came on the back of winning a bronze medal as part of Great Britain's seven-strong Kongo-Dan-Taisen team, involving kata and fighting, at the World Championships in Ohio.

He also reached the final of the Pairs British Open Kata with Hargreaves at the prestigious American event before finishing sixth.

Earlier in the year Ramsden and Hargreaves won the Randori-No-Kata title at the British Open in High Wycombe and the York ace also grabbed a silver medal as part of the five-man North of England team at the same event.