Magnificent Martin! and North West Report

Tonbridge Judo Club’s James Martin was in blistering form at last weekend’s North West Age Banded Championship held in Merseyside – a national identification event for selection onto the English Squad and one of the main events on the performance players’ calendar.

He was part of a squad of 15 young competitors from the club, aged between 11 and 17, who travelled up to St Helen’s and returned with a haul of medals from this prestigious event.

At 16-years-old, Martin, a Mascalls school pupil, was one of the youngest competitors in the –55kg D band section (for 17 to 18 year-olds). But he demonstrated exactly why he is a member of the World Class Talent Squad by beating all opponents with the maximum score of ippon on his way to the final.

Unfortunately, Martin had to fight against club mate James Draper, also 16, who was beaten by him. Draper subsequently went on to fight with fantastic passion and drive to win the bronze medal.

As predicted by many spectators at the venue, the fight for gold proved to be one of the contests of the day when Martin came up against old adversary Adam Conroy of Moberly All Stars, a world class fighter who represented Britain in last year’s European Championships.

Martin gained the advantage early on with a five point lead but with less than one minute to go Conroy clawed back the score to make the contest even. Eventually, the experience of the Moberly fighter gave him the edge and he stole the contest with a passivity score to win by five points.

Coach Chris Bowles described Martin’s performance as “a magnificent achievement” and said the gap between the two rival fighters was now “exceedingly slim”.

Next onto the mat, with an equally impressive journey to the final, was TJC’s national champion Enrico Atkinson. The 11-year-old Tunbridge Wells Boys Grammar School pupil was recovering from an injury and was lucky to be competing in the tournament. Despite having had little time to prepare, he made it to the final of the –46kg category but was scored on as a result of his own attack and was never able to regain the points.

Bowles said that although Atkinson had to settle for silver, the competition would stand him in good stead for his jump up to the B band class for the forthcoming Heart of England and national championships.

Also competing at -46kg was Harry Try (11) who was fighting in this weight group for the first time after just tipping the scales at –42kg. Despite having his work cut out and making a mistake early on, Try refused to give up and put in a first class display of attacking judo to take him through to the bronze medal position.

Judd School pupil Dean Garlick (16), fighting in the –50kg C band, was determined to win a medal so he could be selected for the European trials in Kendal in March. The winner of these trials, of which there are only six players competing, will gain automatic selection for the European Championships.

After losing a hard fought battle with his old rival Josh Hill, from Wolverhampton, Garlick needed to win the bronze if he was to be selected. As pressure mounted he showed his tenacity by winning fight for bronze in less than 30 seconds.

Benenden pupil Jemima Yeats-Brown (13) was also hoping to win a medal, as this would almost certainly guarantee her a place on the English squad. Dispatching her early round opponents, Yeats-Brown looked to be on the way to the gold medal until she came up against old adversary and current national champion Ffion Davies of Welsh club Gower. On this occasion Davies was victorious and this put Yeats-Brown into the fight for the bronze medal which proved a formality for this rapidly improving young fighter.

TJC members Scarlett English (12) and Elizabeth Draper (13) were competing in the –52kg B band. Both girls lost in the preliminary rounds but both managed to fight their way back to contest for a bronze medal - unfortunately against each other. On this occasion Draper won bronze while English had to settle for fifth place.

There were also two Tonbridge fighters in the –38kg B band. George Cullum, aged 13, lost his second contest but then put in one of the performances of the tournament to battle his way through to the bronze medal fight. This went to golden score where Cullum rose above his opponent in fitness and skill to score the five points necessary to win him the bronze medal.

In the same weight group was 12-year-old Dominic Morton who fought extremely well but was unplaced. Also competing at this tournament were Frazer Chamberlain (17) seventh place, Andrew Panayi (16) fifth place and Michael Musker (14) seventh place. Tommy Chambers (11) and James Sparks (15) were unplaced.

Bowles said the two-day event proved very inspiring. “All the players concerned, without exception, fought outstandingly well and a few should look forward to receiving their well-earned English squad place shortly.”

Home