A 12-year-old from Kingseat has returned as European champion from a major competition in Madrid.

Connor Smith, who trains with UKTC Dunfermline, secured his title success at the ITFU Taekwondo Open European Championship.

He was the only competitor from Fife in a 24-strong Scotland squad at the three-day championship in the Spanish capital, winning gold in the under-13 black tag patterns, along with bronze for sparring.

Dunfermline Press: Connor Smith was delighted with his European medal success at the championships in Madrid.Connor Smith was delighted with his European medal success at the championships in Madrid. (Image: Contributed)

Connor's gold medal win came in an all-Scotland final against one of his squad mates, with the talented youngster showing great perseverance and determination to come out on top.

It's a great reward for the effort, dedication and hard work he's put into his sport since the age of just four, and he was in something of a state of disbelief when he clinched the title.

It's been a fine year for Connor, who started 2023, by winning silver and bronze in the Champions League in January for patterns and sparring respectively.

In February, he picked up gold and bronze at the Scottish Championships for special technique and sparring, and at the English Championships in April, he returned with a bronze for sparring.

Next up was the WITC European Championships in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in June, when Connor won bronze from a pool of 39 competitors for patterns and another bronze for team sparring.

In September, before heading out to Madrid, Connor won gold for patterns and silver for sparring in the UK Championships.

Following on from his competition success, Connor is now focused on achieving the rank of 1st Dan black belt.