Tonbridge Courier Friday June 20, 2008
 

James Martin, of Tonbridge Judo Club, won a gold medal for Britain in the prestigious International Tuzla Cup in Germany this month, one of the toughest competitions faced by the young fighter to date.

Held at the Hellersdorfer Athletik-Club, Berlin, the tournament attracted world class fighters under the age of 16 from countries including Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Holland, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Russia and Germany.

Tonbridge chief coach Chris Bowles said: "The competition is used by all of the Eastern European fighters as preparation for the European Cadet Championships and therefore it was massively important that James took part in this event.

"James had four contests, all of which were of world class standing. To win a tournament of this calibre at this stage is a huge achievement and a stepping stone that, I'm sure, will lead on to greater things.

"I must give full credit to James as the training programme and regime that he had to endure, to prepare for this tournament, was his toughest so far."

Despite his ability to stay cool under pressure, the 15-year-old Mascalls School pupil admitted he had some reservations. "I was a little bit nervous about the Berlin competition because my coach said it was going to be harder than any of the others I have been to," he said.

However, he was not intimidated by the ferocious reputation of the Eastern Europeans and won all four of his fights in the -50kg category.

"I found the semi-final (against Polish fighter Kielbus Krzysztof) and the final, which was against a Russian, particularly hard," he said. "I didn't worry about losing. I just kept fighting hard and going for it."

The Russian fighter, Alverez Orlando, will be representing his country at the forthcoming European Cadet Championships in Bosnia, in July, and is hot favourite to win.

Martin just missed selection to represent Britain at the European Championships in the -50kg category and is reserve to old adversary Aaron Turner.

With this in mind, Martin is maintaining his rigorous training programme, a minimum of 20 hours training a week, which includes running, endurance, strength and conditioning work.

"However, this cannot be endured for a long period of time as James is still very young," stressed Bowles.

"He will be attending a European Championship preparation training camp at Kendal judo camp in the north-west and that will be followed by a week in Belgium in July with European and World medallist Cedric Taymans. He'll find out about the European Championships then."

Despite all the travelling and competition preparation, Martin will be taking his GCSEs next year.

"Mascalls have been fantastic, because they are supporting James every step of the way by planning his schoolwork around his judo commitments," said his father, Paul.

"Ultimately my aim is the Olympic Games, either in 2012 or 2016," said Martin, who started judo four years ago, because he thought it would improve his football.

Previously this year Martin has won the Welsh Open under-20 Championship, taken silver at the European trials in Sheffield, won a gold medal at Denmark's Limfjordscup for the third consecutive year, and gold at the Kent Closed Championships, taken a bronze medal at the Cadet International Tournament in Portugal and represented the UK at a tournament in the Czech Republic.

Tonbridge Judo Club sent a squad of five players to Berlin. The other fighters included Andrew Panyi, who got as far as the quarter-finals, James Sparks and Paul Crouch, who each came seventh, and Dean Garlick who put in a great performance at his first major international event, but was unable to get out of the first pool stage.

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