Great Britain masters judo player Jim Birnie stands on top of the podium after coming away from the Saxony Open in Langenhessen, Germany, with his third successive gold medal from the event.

Birnie, from Carterton, was up against competitors from nine nations in this annual competition.

He said: “It seemed a harder competition this year, with many of the fights going to the wire.

“I think the Germans were determined to keep the gold medal at home.”

Birnie’s next competition will be at the High Wycombe Open – one of the oldest masters events in the calendar – next month.

He is also in training at the Oxford Judo Centre and Carterton Sports Centre ahead of the Commonwealth Championships, to be held in Cardiff next January.