Selby'S newly crowned Junior Sports Person 2003 is hoping to bring back a gold medal to the district when he competes in the national championship next week.

Eight-year-old Ryan Simms, of Lordship Lane, Wistow, will be competing in the British Taekwondo Championships in London on July 12 and 13, and hopes are high that he will repeat last year's success and collect a gold medal.

The youngster, who was crowned Selby and District Junior Sports Person 2003 on June 20, has won 33 fights out of 35, his only defeats coming at the hands of the Irish National champion.

Mum Nicola said: "He started training in taekwondo almost two years ago. He had tried football for three or four weeks but wasn't that impressed.

"We are so proud of what he has achieved in that time. He has a bedroom full of trophies."

Ryan trains three to four times a week in Goole and Doncaster, and his coach, Kathy, was British Champion 16 times and represented the UK at the Olympics.

He is currently a red belt with black tags but he is hoping to gain his black belt in September before attending an international championship in Germany in December.

Ryan fights in the 21kg weight category but as there are not many children of his standard he often has to move up to the 24kg category.

Nicola said that Ryan's ultimate aim was to fight in the 2012 Olympics which may be held in London.

"He will be 17 by then so would be old enough to take part. He just needs to keep training hard.

"Unfortunately, it is a very expensive hobby. The trip to London will cost about £400 and Germany another £1,000.

"Ryan has to be ten years old before he is recognised for funding so we are hoping to raise sponsorship to pay for the trip."

If you are interested in sponsoring Ryan to attend the international championship in Germany, contact Nicola Simms on 01757 242653.

Meanwhile, rising York karate star Liam O'Grady showed his potential by claiming two podium successes in a top quality invitational tournament.

O'Grady was part of a small squad from the York Kenshinkan Karate Club which took part in the First North of England Karate Tournament in Bradford.

He finished joint-third in an individual event, while the York squad finished runners-up in the team event.

Duncan Randal, from the Leeds Karate Academy, and Austin Shields, from Kaisen, Birmingham, were also in the YKKC squad, which was coached by York Karate expert Rob McCartney.

The individual event consisted of a two-minute bout in which the competitors have to achieve an eight-point difference over their opponent, successful kicks to the head gaining three points.

O'Grady and Randal both reached the semi-finals in the senior male freestyle competition resulting in both of them achieving joint-third place.

The team event later culminated in a showdown between the York squad and a team from South Liverpool, who proved too experienced and took the title with a 2-1 victory.

York Kenshinkan Karate Club are likely to enter a full team in the event next year.

Updated: 09:03 Friday, July 04, 2003