A KARATE student who missed qualification for the World Championships has ended up with a silver medal.

Danielle Kemsley was concentrating on obtaining her black belt last year, and missed the chance to qualify for the world event through the European Championships.

But the 17-year-old member of Whitstable Karate Kai was spotted by a British selector at her black belt grading, and invited to join the British squad for the trip to Malta.

Kemsley, who lives in Whitstable, received extra training from Carl Swaffer, of Herne Bay Shotokan, and the hard work paid off when she took the silver medal against seven other competitors in the Japanese Kata section of the championships.

Her sister Justine Sibley said: "It was really an incredible achievement for her to win the silver medal in her first World Championships, against more experienced competitors."

The kata is a non-combat discipline, with competitors performing karate routines to be assessed by the judges.

Kemsley said: "I chose to do the Japanese Kata, which is a very traditional form, and Carl Swaffer helped me to prepare.

"There was a good atmosphere there, with 200 in the British contingent, and people from all over the world."

Kemsley now aims to achieve a 2nd Dan black belt, with next year’s European Championships and the 2008 World Championships also possible targets.