DOUBLE DELIGHT FOR JUDO CLUB
12:00 - 04 April 2008

Judo: Tonbridge Judo Club's James Martin and Michael Musker have triumphed at international and national competitions with Martin taking gold at Denmark's Limfjordscup, while Musker was crowned National Schools' Champion, at Cardiff, at the weekend.

It was a particularly sweet victory for Musker, who was competing at the British Schools' National Individual Championships at the Welsh Institute of Sport.

The 13-year-old Sevenoaks School pupil had only just returned to competition, following an injury-enforced break of more than four months.
Despite the high number of entries in the -60kg category, Musker was back on form, winning two of his five fights within 10 seconds and taking the gold with a spectacular ippon.

Meanwhile, in Denmark, James Martin won gold at the Limfjordscup for the third consecutive year and was in "magnificent form", according to coach Chris Bowles.

Fighting in the -50kg category, the 15-year-old Mascalls School pupil won all five of his contests with the maximum score of ippon, which will ensure that he continues to raise his profile on the European circuit.

The Danish tournament, and three-day training camp is run by Aalborg JC for under 20-year-olds.

The largest event of its kind in Scandinavia, it was attended by 300 competitors from 10 nations. Martin was part of a seven-strong squad from the Tonbridge club, which included a new member, 17-year-old Matt Eldridge, from Bexley.

Eldridge fought superbly in the difficult open category (for any weight), losing only one fight from seven contests to take the bronze medal.

Dean Garlick, 15, of The Judd School, Tonbridge, just missed the bronze medal, but is fast becoming one of the country's leading fighters at -46kg.

Also competing were Fraser Chamberlain, 16, of Sackville School, East Grinstead, who took fifth place (-66kg), James Sparks, 15, of Hayesbrook School (-55 kg), Andrew Panayi, 15 (-60kg) and Paul Crouch, 15, from Uplands Community College at Wadhurst (-50kg).

This was one of the busiest weekends for the Tonbridge club, as seven of the younger members were also competing at High Wycombe JC's Red Belt Rumble.

Most of the children were competing in only their first or second tournament of this size and the standard was high with a haul of two gold medals and four bronze.

Gold went to Ben Wood, 13, of Tunbridge Wells Grammar School, and Daniel Hickson aged nine.

Bronze medals were gained by Bradley Chalklin, eight, of Woodlands Junior School, Lara Huxley, eight, of Bidborough School, Angus Browne, nine, and Tom Greer, nine, of Claremont Primary, while fifth place was earned by eight-year-old Luke King, of Hadlow Primary School.
 

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