A DRUMCHAPEL boy will be popping and locking his way to the World Hip Hop Championships this summer.

Kai McDonald, aged seven, unearthed his talent for performing when he got involved in gymnastics two years ago.

Mum Michelle Wright noticed the then five-year-old loved “throwing himself about” and decided it was time to channel his energy and enthusiasm into a hobby.

However, after taking part in a class focussing on breakdancing and tricks, Kai’s hobby soon became his passion.

The Corpus Christi Primary School pupil has now competed in a range of competitions and is turning heads with his gift for street dancing.

In May of last year, Kai was the youngest person competing at the TeenStar UK grand final in London and the following August made an appearance at the World Hip Hop Championships in Glasgow - where he will perform again this year.

“He’s so confident,” Michelle told the Post. “He loves an audience. As soon as people start paying attention, that’s when he comes alive. It’s fun just to see this wee person go for it.

“He just takes it all in his stride. Part of me thinks he just doesn’t understand how well he is doing.

“He’s so humble as well. If someone does better than him at a competition he’s the first to say, ‘well done.’ “It’s something I will always try and teach him., especially in the dance industry. He’s just genuinely happy to be doing what he does.”

Kai recently returned from a trip to Los Angeles, where he visited the renowned Millenium Dance Complex and Kinjaz Dojo and learned from top choreographers.

Michelle spoke of a moment at the city’s Hollywood Boulevard, a famous spot for buskers, where his personality came to light.

She said: “He started to dance battle with other kids in the middle of the street. People were going live on social media and asking him for his Instagram, so they could follow him.

“It was just unexplainable. For someone his size to manage to go and do that. Everybody loved him over there because he was so small.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey for the family, however, and Kai has had to overcome his own battles to get to where he is.

At just seven months old, he spent two weeks in intensive care after contracting eczema herpeticum, a virus which can shut down organs.

Michelle added: “He took really unwell but thankfully he’s turned a corner with that. He’s such a trooper.”