British Nationals 2011

Using our new minibus for the first time a team of 10 players competed in this year's age banded British Championships in Sheffield. With several players missing through injury or other judo commitments and several of our elite performance players now too old it was very exciting to watch the new young talent for the club emerge.

On the Saturday it was the turn of the cadets and pre cadet boys. All players won at least one fight and the overall win rate was over 83%. Tommy, Dom and Harry fought really well progressing through early rounds and were all unlucky not to be in the medals at the end. All are likely to win medals in the forthcoming ranking events at Walsall and St Helen's early next year. The other three cadet boys all won well deserved medals Enrico won gold in the u66 kilo category with a superb ippon to get through to the semis where we beat his rival from the Heart of England he then won through a closely fought final. George was unstoppable all day and anyone watching him from the start could be in no doubt that he would take the gold in the u55 category the final was over in less than 30 seconds with a big ippon! Finally Ryan worked hard in the u73 to take a well deserved bronze and was unlucky not to be our third finalist leading in the semi until there were only 16 seconds remaining. All 3 medallists have well deserved places on the England squad.

Day 2 saw the older players and pre cadet girls take to the arena. James Newsom was a young player in a very hard u60 group full of experienced international players. He fought well and was on top early on in his fights. Ben has also just moved up to juniors and therefore did extremely well to win two fights and only narrowly lose in another. He will certainly be picking up medals soon in this new age group. Olivia was very unlucky to come third in her weight losing one fight by a small score. She is definitely the best player in this group and showed this by winning The Heart of England. The 4th player on the Sunday was James Sparks who worked his way through his very competitive weight group with some exciting judo and reached the bronze fight. He was unlucky to lose this and with a better draw was a definite medallist. He too is on the England squad.

In all 10 players won 28 fights, 4 medals and a fifth place - not a bad day at the office!, We now have 11 players on the England squad one of the largest club feeders for the squad. Well done to all the coaches.

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