Rebecca Jennings entered the WKA Kickboxing Championships earlier this month with two previous gold medals to her name - and left with three more, writes Hamish Mackay.

Jennings is a member of Croydon Martial Arts Academy in Crown Hill, where she also instructs, and was competing in her third consecutive World Championships in Germany, where she picked up two individual medals as well as team gold.

The 28-year-old topped the rostrum in the ladies' light contact and the pointfighting competitions and also achieved gold in the ladies' team pointfighting, having taken a gold and two bronzes in last year's championships held in Spain.

"It was a good result and coming into the championships I wasn’t sure what I’d come away with so I’m absolutely delighted," said the Morden resident.

“It definitely gets harder every year.

"I think that everyone can win one kickboxing championship, but it’s maintaining that standard that becomes difficult.

"You know your ability and what you’re capable of but you end up putting more and more pressure on yourself.”

Jennings's success is even more remarkable considering she was a dancer until four years ago, where she decided to switch to the other end of the spectrum and be a kickboxer.

“It seems like a lot longer than four years, it all happened so quickly at the beginning," she aid.

“It sort of came out of nowhere really; nobody in my family influenced my decision or had even ever done it.

"I was a dancer to begin with but I wanted to do something different.

"Someone on a night out mentioned kick boxing and I was curious.

"It took me a while to pluck up the courage but I really enjoyed it.

"Maybe it was just meant to be."