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Club in Record Medal Haul - Kent Closed 2008
JUDO Tonbridge Judo Club recorded its best ever
results at the Kent Junior and Senior Closed Championships, held at Dartford
Judo Club last weekend, chalking up a total of 18 medals including 11 golds, six
silvers and one bronze.
Seven of the gold medallists have won a place in the Kent Squad and will
represent Kent at the Inter-County Team Championships between Kent, Sussex,
Surrey and Hampshire held in Worthing in May.
Tonbridge fighters Tommy Chambers (10), Dominic Morton (11), Enrico Atkinson
(10), James Martin (15), Daisy Earle (13) and Andrew Panayi (15) will account
for six of the ten weight categories in the junior Kent Squad while veteran
Steve Chamberlain has won a place with the senior squad.
The same weekend another Tonbridge member James Draper (15) travelled down to
Worthing for the Sussex Closed Trials and won a gold medal which qualifies him
for the Sussex county squad.
For chief coach Chris Bowles, the weekend’s results were confirmation that his
ambitions to resurrect Tonbridge Judo Club as a leading competitive club are on
track.
“ The winning of so many medals at Dartford was particularly poignant because
Dick Marcroft was there and he was the last Tonbridge coach to have that type of
success,” he said. “The squad of coaches that is in place now gives the club the
right structure to offer everything from red belt specialist coaching through to
international standard coaching.”
Tonbridge has recently gained the services of two highly experienced coaches
Colin Eldridge and Andy Morton who have transferred from Dartford Judo Club.
“This has been a massive boost to the coaching structure of TJC,” said Bowles.
“Colin Eldridge specialises in long term player development skills while Andy
Morton brings with him experience in youth and cadet player development and a
wealth of international experience.
“We will hopefully play a major part in the development of young fighters in
their ambitions to reach the 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.”
There was further good news for Tonbridge when it was revealed that 15-year-old
Judd School pupil Dean Garlick has been selected for the British Judo
Association’s World Class Start (WCS) Programme. His selection follows recent
success at international level at Denmark’s Limfjordscup tournament and
nationally in the North West Open championships.
The WCS development programme aims to maximise the potential of cadet squad
players with the ultimate goal of winning medals at the world championships and
Olympic games. Garlick is the fourth Tonbridge player to be selected joining
fellow members James Martin, Paul Crouch and Michael Musker.
A delighted Bowles commented: “Dean Garlick is a dedicated member of the
Tonbridge Performance Squad and with his last two competition results fully
deserves his selection for the World Class Start Programme and his English Rose
badge.”
Kent Closed Results
Red belts competition. Gold medals: –42kg Daniel Hickson (10), of Weald
Community Primary; -38kg Angus Browne (9) of Longmead Primary School; -25kg Lara
Huxley (8) of Bidborough Primary School; -34kg George Earle (9) of Chiddingstone
Primary School.
Silver medal: -34kg Bradley Chalklin (8) of Woodlands Primary School
Kent Junior Squad trials.
Gold medals: -30kg Tommy Chambers (10) of Hartley Primary School; -38kg Dominic
Morton (11) of Hextable Primary School; -42kg Enrico Atkinson (10) of St
Augustine’s Primary School; -50kg James Martin (15) of Mascalls School; -60kg
Andrew Panayi (15) of St Columbus RC School; -52kg Daisy Earle (13) of Tonbridge
Grammar School.
Silver medals: -46kg Dean Garlick (15); -55kg James Sparks (15) Hayesbrook
School; -60kg Michael Musker (13) of Sevenoaks School; -48kg Scarlett English
(12) of Erith School; -66kg Bronze medal. –55kg Paul Crouch (15) Uplands
Community College.
Fifth place. –55kg Sam Greig (13) of Oakwood Grammar School.
Kent Senior Squad trials.
Gold medal: +100kg Steve Chamberlain.
Silver medal: Frazer Chamberlain (16) of Sackville College.
Sussex Junior Squad Trials: Gold medal: -55kg James Draper (15) Imberhorne
School, East Grinstead.
