Chris Young, a first-year physiotherapy student at the University of the Western Cape UWC , placed fourth in the under-21 kumite at the Goju Kai World Championships in Chiba, Japan.
The achievement is a rare feat for the 19-year-old, who has trained in the discipline since the age of six.
Goju Kai is a form of Okinawan karate, originating on the Japanese island of Okinawa and shaped by both Chinese martial arts and local self-defence traditions.