It will be the second time that TJ White has taken part in the Irish Open and he is hoping to improve on last year's achievement of fifth position.

The year 7 student is a member of the British Chinese Kickboxing Association and has also been training with the national team.

He will head to Ireland in March where he wants to focus on continuous sparing, a more difficult technique of kickboxing because it requires so much strength in your arms.

TJ said: "It will be good to watch what the older kickboxers are doing and see what their tactics are.

"It's hard in a competition like this because you don't know what people's strengths are and you don't know how many people you'll be fighting until you get there.

"I hope to get first place or to come in the region of second or third."

TJ trains up to six times a week in Thrapston and Corby.

He added: "What makes me keep going is that I want to build my strength up and achieve what I want to achieve."