IMOGEN Skipper has again shown she can train, work and study hard after adding another medal to her collection.

Despite the pressures of AS level studies, the 16-year-old picked up an impressive bronze medal at the North East Open Championships.

Skipper, a member of Tower Shukokai in Edgworth, entered the women's Sanbon Kumite (3 point fighting) where she was up against some tough competition.

Reaching the round robin stages she fought each of three opponents in turn.

In her first bout, the QEGS pupil was up against Bethany Williams which she won by 2 1/2 points to 1 1/2.

Skipper scored a full point (ippon) against Williams with a foot-sweep and punch combination - a technique she has not commonly scored with.

Her second bout was against European silver medallist Chloe Roberts.

Roberts is an aggressive fighter and Skipper had to use her reach advantage to keep the Merseysider from attacking.

Again she managed an ippon but still lost to Roberts by half a point.

The final round robin bout was going to be a tough one. Her opponent was Sgt Hayley Just, last year's Combined Services Sportswoman of the Year.

The pair had already met earlier in the year in the final of Malta Open which Just narrowly won.

Just went in to this match having won her two round robin matches. So Skipper, with one victory, needed to beat Just and score at least one "Ippon" to secure gold.

Skipper twice led and managed two Ippon scores against her more experienced opponent, but in the closing seconds Just equalised and so the bout was drawn 2 1/2 - 2 1/2.

With one win, one draw and one loss Imogen took third place and bronze medal but had only been seconds from gold.Champion Just was full of praise for her young rival.

"It was a very tough contest," she said. "Imogen is getting faster and stronger. I had to use my age and experience to beat her."

Coach and father Martyn Skipper, who is also the head coach at Tower Shukokai added. "With each competition Imogen develops and matures her range of techniques is increasing, and she responds particularly well under pressure."

Imogen hopes to take her black belt test during 2015.