FORMER King John School pupil Amanda Parker won a bronze medal at the Trampoline World Championships.

The 25-year-old and partner Kat Driscoll secured the medal in the synchronised event in front of a passionate home crowd at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Parker, now a PE teacher based in Surrey.

“Having that support behind us was just fantastic. It made me feel proud to be British.

“It did make it a bit more nerve-wracking as well but the roar we heard as soon as we had finished a routine was amazing.”

It could have been an even more memorable occasion for Parker and Driscoll had they held on to the top spot they had held after two rounds.

But the sport’s rules state that after those first two rounds – a compulsory and an optional routine – all results are scrapped for the final round.

“All the scores go back to zero for the final round and it’s anyone game. They are the rules and have worked in our favour before so we can’t complain.”

Parker and Driscoll, who were ranked number one in the world coming into the championships, were ultimately beaten by Germany and China.

“There was a lot of pressure on us coming into the championships to medal,” said Parker, who trained as a youngster at Twisters Trampoline Club on Canvey under the guidance of Sue Skinner.

“There’s a bit of disappointment that we didn’t do better and win gold but it’s a high pressure situation and overall I’m happy with the bronze we got.”

Remarkably, the World Championships were only the seventh time Parker and Driscoll had competed together as a pairing.

They had podiumed on all six previous occasions in World Cup events.

Even more remarkably the pair are unable to train together except when the meet to compete.

“Kat lives in Newcastle and I’m down in Surrey now so it’s a bit difficult,” Parker said.

“We practice our routines individually and time ourselves to see if we are in sync.

“But we are both experienced and we both get on so well together.”

The synchronised event is not a discipline at the Olympic Games so Parker will be unable to compete in London 2012, but she has her sights set on the World Games in Columbia in 2012.

“Those Games are for all the events that are not yet Olympic disciplines and by virtue of our result in the World Championships we got Great Britain a space there so hopefully we will be there,” said Parker, who is now trained by Sue Lawton at the Edgbarrow Trampoline Club in Surrey.