Irish dancer Siobhan O'Sullivan is jigging for joy after battling back from injury to success in the recent Cumann Rince Naisiunta (CRN) World Open championships.

Just four weeks after returning to dancing following a two-month lay-off after fracturing a bone in her foot, Siobhan, of Llanstadwell, claimed a fourth place in the contest's Under 21 competition.

"I was devastated when I injured my foot," said 21-year-old Siobhan, who will soon be entering her final year of a BA degree in Irish Music and Dance at Limerick University.

"The timing of the injury could not have been worse - I had to miss my All-Ireland championships in May and my dance exams in university, both of which I had spent the whole semester practising for.

"So I was determined to do the Worlds, and had great support from my teachers and friends at class and my family."

Siobhan, a former pupil of Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest, confessed she was very nervous as she stepped onto the stage of the Wexford Opera House for the championships earlier this month.

"But once I had started, I was just so happy to be back on stage dancing. The fact that I had danced at the World championships felt fantastic, and then to get fourth place was amazing. You'd have thought I had won by the smile on my face!"

Siobhan started Irish dancing with the Hynes School of Irish Dancing in Saundersfoot, and took over the school for two years before going to university. She now dances for the Rothwell School in Ashbourne, Co. Meath and travels weekly from Limerick to Dublin for classes.