SPRING 2017 ISSUE 41

Young Guns:
SIGHTS SET ON TOKYO
 CONTENTS
4 EUAN BURTON
12 6 NEWSROOM
CHLOE COWEN VICKERS
11 DAN GRADINGS
30 CHRIS MURPHY
38 KIDS CORNER
16
YOUNG GUNS - SIGHTS SET ON TOKYO

42
26 CLUB FOCUS - SKK JUDO CLUB

2017 PARIS GRAND SLAM

46
32
A DAY IN THE LIFE - JOHN MALKINSON

TECHNIQUE FOCUS - KATE HOWEY

ALL MATERIAL IN THIS MAGAZINE,

INCLUDING BOTH TEXT AND IMAGES,
50
IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.
REPLICATION VIA REPUBLISHING
IN ANY PRINT OR DIGITAL FORM
REQUIRES CONSENT FROM THE
BRITISH JUDO ASSOCIATION. CLASSIC MATCH: CLARK V DECOSSE
 CONSULTANT EDITOR: EUAN BURTON
THE FOUR-YEAR CYCLE BEGINS
Hi All
Welcome to this first edition of Matside
in 2017. There is plenty to whet your
appetite for the coming year. We take a
closer look at some of GBs most exciting
young prospects as they begin their Tokyo
2020 campaigns, are treated to some
technical tips from Kate Howey and visit
the hotbed of talent production that is
the SKK judo club, as well as all the usual
features and contest news.
T he five young athletes featured inside
are: Max Stewart, Amy Livesey, Bekky
MATSIDE
Livesey, Lucy Renshall and Jemima Yeats-
Brown. All of them have moved into the senior
ranks in the past few years and are already
making an impression on the IJF World Tour,
so will have their sights firmly focused on
Tokyo and the Olympic rostrum in 2020.
At 23, the same age as Amy and Max, I
was in a similar situation. I had Athens and
the 2004 Olympics on my radar and was at
the start of a qualification journey that would
contain many of the highs and lows that would
ultimately lay the foundations for the rest of
my career to be built on. That four-year cycle
eventually ended in bitter disappointment
4 for me as it went down to the wire and the
last Olympic qualification event, the 2004
European Championships. I had worked my
way to the semi-finals but lost out to future
Olympic Champion, Ole Bischof, which sent
me into the bronze medal match.
There I went into Golden Score with
Spains Ricardo Echarte and while I pressed
forward for the win he threw in a last gasp
tomoe-nage, which landed me on my rear
end and meant I missed out on my first major
BOTH RENSHALL AND STEWART
FELL JUST SHORT OF THE
MEDALS THIS YEAR BUT, AT 21
AND 23 YEARS OLD, IT IS AN
ENCOURAGING START TO 2017
championship medal AND first Olympic Games
by the smallest margin possible, a koka in
Golden Score. It took me a long time and a
lot of tears to get over that loss, however,
my response to the disappointment of 2004
meant that in 2005 I won that crucial first
championship medal at the Europeans and
by 2008 I had put three major championship
medals on the table and was firmly en route to
the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as a current
World and European medallist.
All five of the featured athletes have already
stood on the rostrum either at age group
continental championships or IJF Grand Prix
level, so are in a significantly better position
than I was and I hope that their first proper
Olympic cycle ends more positively than mine.
Whatever happens in the following four years,
the experiences they will go through will teach
them a huge amount about their judo, even
more about who they are as people and they
will undoubtedly finish 2020 as more well-
rounded, more mature, more independent
athletes. I hope some will also finish with an
Olympic medal around their necks.
All the young athletes in question will be
joining a senior GB team with experienced
athletes and a 70kg Olympic medallist in situ.
Again, this mirrors the shape of the team I
joined at the start of the 2004 cycle. Back
then, double Olympic medallist, Kate Howey,
was one of our most consistent medallists and
often devastated opponents with her powerful
ippon judo and dynamite ne-waza
skills. I hope you all enjoy her
technical masterclass and are able
to integrate some of what she is
discussing back at your clubs.
Talking about clubs, this
edition features a look at one of
the countrys most successful
and consistent providers of
championship medal winning
judoka, SKK judo club. Three of the

Euan Burton in his prime: competing back in 2011
five featured athletes in this edition hail from
that north-west powerhouse, which shows its
strength. However, the SKK history book runs
rather deeper than that; it includes numerous
Olympians, European Champions at Junior,
Under-23, University and Senior levels and
a 40-year record of producing successful
judoka. The man at the helm for the past
26 of those 40 years is Peter Blood and it
is testament to his dedication, joy for the
sport and caring for the athletes that the club
continues to go from strength to strength.
Many of you will, I am sure, have been
impressed by the displays of SKKs Lucy
Renshall and Max Stewart at the recent Paris
Grand Slam in their debuts at the prestigious
event. Although Paris is one of the events that
every judoka dreams about winning, it was not
one of my happiest hunting grounds.
After years of falling short I did eventually
step up onto its podium and repay my
parents dedication in spending every
Valentines weekend for almost a decade
watching a full weekend of judo in the Bercy
Stadium; something I think my dad was far
happier with than my mum!
At least it was in the city of love and not
somewhere in the back of beyond in some
far-flung continent.
Both Renshall and Stewart fell just short
of the medals finishing with fifth places this
year, but, at 21 and 23 years old respectively,
it is an encouraging start to 2017 and a good
platform from which to jump to even bigger
and better things.
Paris was also the first opportunity to see
the new IJF rules being experimented with at
a major event. The IJF have made it very clear
to athletes and coaches that the phase up until
the World Championships will be utilised as
a test period where rules may be adjusted
or implemented differently,
depending on the outcomes
that they produce.
For my part, I was out
with a group of athletes
at the Belgian Open the
weekend before Paris and
this was my first taste of
coaching under the new
rules. The weekend proved
to be a success, not
least because I managed
to avoid the inevitable
shout of YUKO! which
will surely catch out most
of us coaches when our athlete lands their
opponent on their side in the heat of a
particularly tight battle.
In truth, I found the new rules
predominantly refreshing. In Belgium, they
EUAN BURTON
seemed to ensure exciting, high scoring
matches where athletes were almost always
searching for the ippon rather than defending
a shido or small score they may have gained
early in the fight. The better tactical fighters
were already finding ways of working the rules
to their advantage and many were managing
to ensure that they were caught for waza-
ari rather than ippon, even if that meant
they went into the final minute of a contest
a number of scores down, but still with that
chance of ending the contest with their own
decisive ippon.
It would be interesting to hear what your
views are, particularly from any of you who 5
travelled to Paris for the Grand Slam.
Love them or hate them, the new rules
are here to stay in some form or other, and
our athletes will need to find a way to become
champions within them if they are to achieve
their World and Olympic dreams in the coming
four years.
As ever, take care and enjoy your judo.
Euan
Max Stewart was on top form
at the Paris Grand Slam
 NEWSROOM: ALL THE LATEST
BRITISH JUDO NEWS

GB TOP MEDAL TABLE AT RENSHALL CROWNED

GLASGOW EUROPEAN OPEN
British judoka had a day to remember
at the 2016 Glasgow European Open on
Saturday 15 October as they topped the
medal table with 10 medals including four
golds for Kelly Edwards, Lucy Renshall,
Jemima Yeats-Brown and Max Stewart.
Read more: www.britishjudo.org.
uk/gb-top-medal-table-glasgow-
european-open/
MATSIDE
UNDER-23 EUROPEAN
CHAMPION
Lucy Renshall added another
European title to her collection of
medals after a superb days judo at
the 2016 Under-23 European Judo
Championships in Tel Aviv, Israel, on
Friday 11 November. There was also
a silver for Jemima Yeats-Brown and
bronze for Jodie Myers.

Read more: www.britishjudo.org.

uk/renshall-wins-23-european-gold/

QINGDAO GOLD
FOR MAX STEWART
Max Stewart was in
outstanding form as he won
his first Grand Prix gold in
Qingdao, China, on Sunday
20 November. Lucy Renshall
and Jemima Yeats-Brown
joined him on the podium
winning silver and bronze
respectively.
Read more: www.
britishjudo.org.uk/qingdao-
gold-max-stewart/
 NEWS FLASH
HENSHAWS SPECIALIST COLLEGE
STUDENTS GAIN RED BELTS IN JUDO
Eight students from Henshaws
Specialist College have been awarded
their 6th Kyu Red Belts in judo during a
presentation ceremony at the Colleges
Harrogate campus. This first stepping
stone in judo is a major achievement for
each of the students involved, as they
have a range of disabilities and learning
difficulties and have worked for six months
to reach this level.
Read more: www.britishjudo.org.
uk/henshaws-specialist-college-
students-gain-red-belts-judo/
HAT-TRICK OF GOLD MEDALS
FOR BRITISH SN JUDOKA
There was a trio of British gold
medallists at the 2016 Dutch Open G-Judo
Championships on Saturday 5 November in
Baarlo, Netherlands, with Thomas Mawsdley,
Christopher Murphy and Ross Carswell
topping the podium.
Read more: www.britishjudo.org.
uk/hat-trick-gold-medals-british-sn-
judoka/
RIO PARALYMPIAN JONATHAN DRANE
ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Rio Paralympian and World
Championship bronze medallist Jonathan
Jono Drane has announced his retirement
from judo. The 29-year-old from Norfolk
made his decision after taking some time
away from the sport after the Rio Paralympic
Games, where he came fifth at -81kg.
Read more: www.britishjudo.org.
uk/rio-paralympian-jonathan-drane-
announces-retirement/
NEWSROOM
GB JUDOKA TO ENRICH LIVES THROUGH 7
SPORT FOR 2017 VOLUNTEER ZAMBIA
PROJECT
GB judoka Jan Gosiewski will be one of
four University of Bath students who will be
helping to enrich the lives of young Africans
through the power of sport, leadership and
education.
Read more: www.britishjudo.org.
uk/gb-judoka-enrich-lives-sport-2017-
volunteer-zambia-project/
TEKIO GEMU JUDO CLUB RECEIVES
CLUBMARK STATUS WITHIN FIRST YEAR
November 2016 saw Tekio Gemu Judo
club (or TG Judo club) become the 30th
current BJA club to hold Clubmark status as
awarded by Sport England.
Read more: www.britishjudo.org.
uk/tekio-gemu-judo-club-receives-
clubmark-status-within-first-year/
 SOCIAL
CORNER
@stewart_max Finished up with a fifth
place today at Paris Grand Slam... Not the
result I was looking for but still a decent
performance.

@highlandbudokan Gold for our squad member

Josie Steele at the English Open today. Well @lucyrenshallx Gutted that I just missed out
done to all our squad who fought this wk end. on a medal at Paris GS, but happy I got to
#judoclub #judofamily #britishjudo fight on such a big stage & this year Ill have
MATSIDE

to settle with 5th

@christopherske2 Family means a lot to

athletes in this tough sport! Thank you to my
family for standing by me! #teamskell

@Hawksheadbrewer Whys our head

brewer @mattHawkshead not been at @
IndyManBeerCon - hes just won gold in the
British masters judo #fairenough #gold
8

@msnjudoclub Well done to all of

@MSNJudoClubs younger judokas who took
part in our end of year club competition,
brilliant effort by all of them. #judo
@KellyStaddon #trophy #hardwork @BritishJudo

@Hawksheadbrewer Silver for Josh

OConnor from Gendros Judo @BritishJudo
GB junior trials topping off a big year for the
#swansea fighter @GendrosJudo
 @allanmacdonald_ Final day for @PhysioReel @fatearfightgear @BritishJudo great day for
working at the @BritishJudo Centre of Scorpion judo club members representing
Excellence, I hope his successor is also full their schools at the southern British judo
of #bants #captaincharisma schools championship in kent.

@lgwebbie101 Congratulations to my Dad,

Derek Webster on becoming a Black Belt 7th
Dan in Judo 60 years dedication
@BritishJudo #WeAreGBJudo

@riajones24 @BritishJudo a future judo star

in the making!!

@photobylogan Proud to see my 6 year

old little monster take to @BritishJudo this

TOP TWEETS
evening on the Isle of Man

@fitness_judo_matt So this came through

the post today! #judo #judoka #britishjudo
#redbelt #britishjudoassociation #6thkyu

@leah_knee #Fantastic night at judo with

Nekoda Davis, great session. #nekodadavis
#judo #sports #britishjudo

@bekkyliveseyxxx New PB today on bench

press #65kg!

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS

MATSIDE IS A MAGAZINE FOR YOU, THE BRITISH JUDO COMMUNITY,
SO WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! WHETHER YOURE OFFERING
FEEDBACK, OR SHARING A POINT OF VIEW ON TOPICAL EVENTS,
CONTACT US VIA MATSIDE@BRITISHJUDO.ORG.UK
 WEARS
WEARS
Please visit our
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DAN GRADINGS: A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL
THE LATEST BRITISH DAN GRADINGS

1ST DAN Patrick License

Rahim Maqsood
Lucy Day
Richard Johnson
4Th DAN
Anthony Hopkins Robin Willingham Ryan Burt Dermot McCaul
Christopher Ryan Quigley Siobhan Tierney Paul Lee
Darnbrough Ryan Thomson Bryony Elliott Roger Smart
Christopher Tippet Shannon Reid Christopher Kocan Paul Tansey
Craig Haynes Stephen Mann Gillian Elders Thomas Davis
Darren Collick Tegan Davies James Overton Craig Redman
Hannah Rogers Adrian Atkinson Kurt Denby Dominic Quinn
Holly Eccles Alexander Clements Leanne Henlon Gordon Kemish
Imogen Ranner Amin Nadimy Nigel Bigger Raymond Whitfield
James Pye Anna Hulme Showgo Kimura Roberto Almeida
John Williamson- Annie Boby Amy Lycett Stephen Kemish
Bruscaglia Antony Asplen Chloe Nunn
5Th DAN

DAN GRADINGS
Jordan Fugh Ben Hurst Christopher Murphy
Juha Uotila Ben Whybrow Clare Bowie
Kay Dawson Chris Ashton-Barnes David Down Joe Reeves
Leigh Hale Christopher Wynne Janine Johnson Jonathan Cooke
Mark Gillmore Joyce Paul Perry Michael Sexton
Martin Brady Claire Dowler Robert Golbourn Gavin McNeill
Martins Audzers Daniel Bennett Steve Babos Stephen Holmes
Matthew Barker Emma Forrest Stevey Barteluk Eddie Orgee
Oliver Baldwin Fiona Todman Graham Bayley
Olivier Defaux
Rae Anderson
Georgia McHale
Graham Lawton
3rd DAN William Redman

Richard Hale
Steven Monarch
Guillaume Mercier
Ian Painter
Ashley McKenzie
David Gibson
6Th DAN
William Tew Jack Claxton Ronan Byrne Andrew Haffner
Aaron Miller Jake Gifford Steven Plane Andrew Malcolm 11
Adam Clarke James Easton Craig McKenna Kerry Tansey
Adam McCraw Jay Cullen Gregor Sascha
Bruce Walker
Catherine Brownlee
Joanna Moyes
Joseph Andrews
Cremosnik
Kevin Bond
7Th DAN
Charlie Bond Karen Horseman Anthony Shaw Alan Rickard
Christopher Smith Liam Wandi Ashley Parrette Anthony Higgins
Cyril Testeniere Luca Governato Christopher Riley Graham Turner
Daniele Capossela Mate Gergely Vida Colin Woods Joseph Foster
Darren Riddell Matthew Lawrence Danny King Nicholas Kokotaylo
Dylan Thomas Oliver Park Peter Gardiner
Ionela Iulia Nica Oleksii Rybak Roger Houston
Jack Willingham Rachel OKeefe
James Bugg Rowan Lockyear
James Ewing Simon Speidel
John Gander Tomi Imrie
Juan Lebrija Trevor Ansell
Lewis Lister Yasmin Gordon
Lewis Mills
Liam Doody
Mantas Grinaveckis
2nd DAN
Megan Bowie Kevin Mason
 CHLOE COWEN VICKERS:
GIVES A VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO HER JUDO
JOURNEY AND HER COACHING BELIEFS.
For me, judo has been my constant,
and something I cant imagine not being
in my life. Through judo I have found some
of my best friends, had some amazing
life experiences and above all, without a
doubt, judo has made me into the person I
am today.
I started judo at the age of nine. At that
time I took for granted the fantastic
underpinning fundamentals I had received from
my time in gymnastics, and rose quickly through
the competitive ranks under the technical
guidance of a range of good club coaches, who
MATSIDE
helped shape my current coaching ethos around
technical excellence.
Having trained for about three years in good
community judo clubs, I transitioned to a club
MY KEY TO CLUB RETENTION IS
SIMPLE: TO MAKE MY SESSIONS
FUN, PROGRESSIVE AND, MOST
IMPORTANTLY, TO TEACH CORRECT
FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUE
12 which specialised in competitive judo. Despite
the fact that we were based in a village hall
in the North East, it did feel like a world class
training environment for its time. I was lucky to
have strong female role models both in coaching
and in fellow athletes, such as Diane Bell, who
was a double world champion at the time and
went on to be my national coach towards the
end of my career.
Here, the priorities were to develop a good
judo technical base in both tachi-waza and ne-
waza, and to be physically fit and strong. I was
encouraged to work hard from an early age, try
to win competitions using good techniques and
develop good behaviours. I had a strength and
conditioning programme from the age of 14,
which enabled me not only to develop a strong
and explosive base, but also helped me to
endure the tough training sessions.
I wasnt always focused in sessions; I dont
ever think I looked forward to training as it
was physically hard and repetitive. I think the
commitment from
my coaches and
my dad, who
gave up all his
free time to get me there, and early success at
national and international level were the drivers
that encouraged me to stay committed and
work towards my own international targets.
An injury in the 2000 Olympic Games put
a halt on any further competitive ambitions for
me. As an athlete coming out of a competitive
career, not fully satisfied with my achievements,
coaching gave me a new focus and a way to
keep judo in my life.
My experiences, whether positive or
negative, have certainly helped form the strong
foundations which inspired me to coach and
help develop players to move
through to the international judo
stage. I had an opportunity
to coach at a local club a few
evenings a week and also
supported our junior and cadet
GB programmes. I must admit,
I struggled at club level at first. I
came, highly disciplined and with
a strong work ethic on the mat,
to an environment that was opposite of that.
It also was a clear indicator that many players
we had joining our young national squads were
arriving without the basic judo fundamentals and
had missed many important stages needed for
long term player development. It certainly gave
me a new insight into judo at grass roots, but

also a new focus to help improve the technical
delivery that was needed at this level.
I then joined our British Judo technical
team working with our membership in grading,
coach education and club support. Following
several years in this role, I made the decision
to fulfil my higher education and complete
my physiotherapy degree. During this time, I
decided to open a small community club near
my home; a place where I felt I could use my
experiences to help local kids who wanted to
further improve their judo.
Working in my own club environment gave
me a greater understanding of the complexities
of grassroots judo and club coaching. As an
international competitor, I believe you arrive
into coaching with a higher technical skill set,
experience through increased hours of study
and a lived experience. You will understand real
commitment to judo from an individuals point
of view, the technicalities of competition, the
feel of momentum, of understand the feeling of
pressure and fear. We all know coaching is multi-
faceted, but working and running my own club
has helped me to further develop my soft skills;
individual learning styles
and how to manage a
difficult mat with players
of differing needs.
My key to club
retention is simple: to
make my sessions fun,
progressive and, most
importantly, to teach
correct fundamental
technique. As a coach,
my first and most
important mat skill is
to teach players to be
a confident and co-
operative Uke. Reward
them for helping and moving correctly, so
they understand action / reaction; this makes
falling something that isnt feared. Teach simple
gymnastic skills incorporated in warm-ups,
create a learning environment where players can
make friendships and feel part of a team.
My sessions are not as physically hard
as mine were as a kid. As a physiotherapist,
and through my coach education, I see the
importance of safety and long term player
development as my number one responsibility. It
is my obligation to help players develop in their
time, and create a pathway to suit that child,
CHLOE COWEN VICKERS
whether that is in competition, refereeing or for a
hobby. Link in and create good relationships and
partnerships with other clubs and coaches. This
helps the coach and players by creating new
training and learning opportunities and, most
importantly, gives a wider support base for the
coach and members.
For the first time, I believe British Judo,
in conjunction with the Home Nations, are
establishing a clear pathway for our young
athletes and coaches to help them to
engage with long term player development
for competition. The introduction of the new
Ippon League for pre-cadet and cadet players
incorporates the use of the British Judo 13
Trademarks and focuses on Throw for Ippon
or Win in Ne-waza. The league now identifies
players through being able to execute an
ippon win as well as competition placings. The
league selects players for the Home Nation
MATSIDE

squads, identifies players for the European themselves or their opponents. Teach them to
Cadet Championships and the GB Futures throw in different directions with movement and
Programme - a group of cadet players selected balance, develop ashi-waza and link ne-waza
on an annual basis who will travel to Japan to in lots of different situations. Dont focus on
train for ten days. gripping too early, let them learn the basics and
Of course, winning is important, but moving grow to be creative, confident players.
away from medal targets helps to stop children As coaches, we are responsible for ensuring
specialising too early in one technique, or getting our athletes develop, grow and mature so they
caught up in winning only by using tactics. This can stay and enjoy their journey in judo. By
shift will help coaches to focus on these strengths working together, supporting each other and
and take away the pressure of winning early, continue to educate ourselves in this amazing
which I believe often closes and stunts technical and tough sport, I know the future will be bright
growth. To win by ippon involves teaching players for GB athletes.
to develop a stronger base of techniques and this Chloe Cowen Vickers is a five-
14 focus is imperative for players to move through to time winner of a European senior
high level competition. medal, Olympian, Physiotherapist,
We are now so lucky to have world class EJU commentator, 6th Dan, BJA Area
judo at our fingertips almost every weekend via Examiner, mum and current England
live streams and ippon highlight reels popping up and GB Support Coach.
daily on social media. I personally love them and I
also see their value. They are inspiring, engaging
and motivational for players and coaches. But,
we must remember that those athletes at this
level have come through a long development
pathway and we are seeing them at the very top.
They already have a proven track record and they
will have developed physically and technically
over a long period of time to get there.
They are implementing these techniques
against players who are not only robust, but
react at the precise time. So, when I see our
young players trying some of these techniques,
like a flying arm lock or a Choi Korean style
reverse seoi-nage, I often despair that the child
is not only missing learning the key foundations
of judo in order to grow, but could also injure
 BRITISH JUDO UPDATE
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
On Saturday 18 March at the University
of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus, British
Judo will be hosting an Extraordinary
General Meeting (EGM) to discuss the
changes to the Memorandum and Articles
to ensure they meet the UK Sport (UKS)
and Sport England (SE) Governance
Standards.
T his meeting is the culmination of an
extensive membership engagement
process with Member Clubs, and a report
prepared by Jonathan Hall Associates, taking
into consideration the British Judo Strategy, the
Hamlin report recommendations and UKS/SE
Code of Good Governance. This code has some
mandatory elements that National Governing
Bodies of Sport and other agencies will need
to comply with in order to access and receive
public monies.
UKS and SE have stated within the
Governance code that they will take the
necessary actions with National Governing
Bodies to meet the standards, in order to
safeguard public funding, therefore it is essential
that the Association adopt the recommendations
as laid out in the below document.
The Board of British Judo fully supports the
Code, which will ensure that the sport has the
necessary structures, policies and procedures
to govern and manage the sport into the future.
The Board has laid out in the PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS TO BJA MEMORANDUM
AND ARTICLES document, the necessary
changes that need to be made to the Governing
documents of the BJA, in order to be able
to access public funding for the growth and
development of the sport as well as ensure that
we have a competitive performance programme
to ensure Olympic success.
It is important that all members and clubs
clearly understand the changes and the reasons
behind each one which will make British Judo
one of the first sports to be compliant with the
UKS/SE Governance Code which will ensure
continued support and funding from UK Sport
and Sport England to Judo and will ensure strong
governance and engagement for the members.
All members are strongly urged to use their
vote either by post or proxy in support of the
necessary changes or attend the EGM on the 18
March 2017.
THERE ARE FIVE OPTIONS
FOR HOW TO VOTE AT THE EGM:
1. Vote in person at the EGM
EGM UPDATE
2. Tick the box marked accept all
proposed changes and return the form
3. You can give the proxy to the
Chairman of the Association
4. Identify a proxy and complete the
details of the person and club who will
be attending EGM on your behalf
5. If you disagree with any of the
changes, please place a tick in the 15
relevant box to the left hand side of
each statement
You can find out more about the proposed
amendments to the BJA memorandum
and articles on the British Judo website as
well as the voting/proxy form:
http://www.britishjudo.org.uk/extraordinary-
general-meeting-egm-2017-announced/
- Saturday, 18 March 2017 at 10.30 hours
- Lecture Theatre WA007
- University of Wolverhampton
Walsall Campus
- Gorway Road, Walsall, West Midlands,
WS1 3BD
- Tea and coffee will be available from
10:00 hours
 Young Guns: SIGHTS SET ON TOKYO
A t the time of writing, the Rio
Olympics are barely six months
behind us, and we can easily recall the
@amylivesey_x

moment of ecstasy when Sally Conway

became our latest Brit to achieve the
status of Olympic Medallist. Though
it may seem a lifetime away, the next
Olympiad will be extra special for
our sport, as it will be hosted in the
homeland; the mecca of judo, Japan.
Olympic recognition is what every judoka
craves, be it winning a medal or simply
earning the privilege to represent their nation.
MATSIDE

It may be four years into the future, but

preparation for Tokyo 2020 is well under way,
and theres a fresh crop of talented British
youngsters who have Japans capital set firmly
in their sights.
For our latest Matside cover feature, we
sat down with the next generation of athletes
looking to break through onto the elite level.
Without further ado, we give you: Max
Stewart, Lucy Renshall, Jemima Yeats-Brown,
Amy and Bekky Livesey.

16
Amy Livesey
So, Amy, do you remember your first
time on the judo mat?
I went to watch my brother, Owen, a few
times before I was brave enough to start
myself. I remember I really, really didnt enjoy
my first class I hated it (laughs). So I left it
alone for a while, until I ended up asking my
sister, Bekky, if she wanted to come along and
try it.
We ended up heading down to the club
together and this time around I loved it; Ive not
looked back since. So those first classes were
at Sutton High School, which was a feeder club
for SKK Judo Club.
With all of your siblings excelling in
judo, we have to ask if your parents were
into the sport as well?
 No, actually, neither my mum nor my dad
have ever done judo. Theyve always been
sporty, though. My dad was a bodybuilder,
while mum did swimming and athletics, but no
judo just us kids!
Youve never tempted your parents
onto the judo mat?
Well, we did get my dad down for a session
once, but he broke his toe so that was the end
of that for him (laughs). He went off it.
Having started judo at a young age, did
you find it difficult to focus on the sport
during your teenage years; a time where
there can be lots of social distractions?
At the time, it was quite difficult. You know,
you get to the stage where your friends are
going out and perhaps you cant because of
the judo. But, once you get through a little
tricky phase its fine, and at the end of the day
you either love the sport or you dont. Its just
one of those little sacrifices.
When I was at the stage of wanting to go
out and do more socialising with friends it was
tough, but once youre through it you realise
just how much you love the sport and want to
succeed at it.
Since youve been on the British Squad
youve competed at a lot of different
weight categories is it challenging
moving between weights?
It can be tough. For example, if youre
moving up a weight, people dont realise that
means you have to eat a lot more food as well
as work hard in the gym. When I was competing
at -70kg, I had to eat so much food to be able
to compete it was a challenge. I do feel much
more comfortable at 63kg, thats for sure. It was
the right move for me to come down.
As a British Judo senior squad
member, you are based in Walsall at the
Centre of Excellence, so how do you find
living and training there?
So, Ive been in Walsall for three years
now, basically since it opened. Its a perfect
environment to get better, thats for sure.
Especially now we are going to have everyone
based in the same place, so the likes of Sally
Conway will be down here training every day.
I think with all the talent that will be in Walsall
training, and all the coaching support we get,
its the perfect environment for me.
Do you have any athletes that you
aspire to emulate?
I look at Jessica Ennis-Hill and see her as
a really good role model. Within judo, I dont
really have any idols exactly, but I enjoyed
watching Kayla Harrison and (Lucie) Decosse
before they retired.
Speaking of role models, how do you
feel about being a role model for young
British judo fans?
Well, I think myself, my sister Bekky, Lucy
Renshall and Jodie Myers have experienced
that on a smaller level through our home club,
SKK. As a club, there are a lot of little girls
training so maybe they look up to us in some
way. I just try and work hard, give my best and
if kids can get some inspiration from that, Im
really happy.
So, as a full time athlete, working hard
to achieve your goals in judo, what would
you say you enjoy most about your life?
I think I enjoy the fact I am very much an
individual; Ive lived on my own, away from home,
for three years now and its made me grow up a
YOUNG GUNS
lot. On top of that, I love the training and always
look forward to being on the judo mat.
What would you say are your standout
achievements in judo so far?
I have been a Youth Olympic bronze
medallist, a European U23 Champion and
I picked up my first Grand Prix medal in
Budapest last summer. Id say theyre my
favourite results so far in my career.
Tokyo 2020 is obviously your long-term
goal, so has the preparation begun?
Weve started our four-year plan now, yes.
My aim is not just to qualify for Tokyo, but get
there and also to challenge for medals. That
is my long-term goal as you say, but before 17
that Ill also be concentrating on improving and
challenging for European and World medals.
As an athlete, reaching Tokyo is a huge goal
of mine, but I have to take everything step by
step. I try and focus on whats in front of me,
so Ill look ahead to the Europeans, the Worlds
and keep working hard in my training.
A word from the Coach: Dennis Stewart
Amy is a very strong player; very
determined and she always gives everything
100%. You can guarantee shell be present at
the beginning of a session and keep the effort
up right to the end. She also mentally prepares
herself very well.
Shes still got a fair bit of technical work to
do, so I think once we catch up her technical
ability to the level of her training strength shell
be a force to be reckoned with.
 When did your judo journey begin?
As a kid, I started in gymnastics, and I
actually trained every day. It wasnt until I
was 13 that I started judo. I was told I wasnt
elegant enough to make it in gymnastics! My
mum is a judo black belt, so I thought Id give
it a go once gymnastics went out the window,
and instantly I loved it. I found the technical
side of the sport hard to grasp, but the fighting
aspect came really easy for me.
Well anyone who has seen you
compete would agree that you seem to
enjoy your matches, Jemima!
(Laughs). Well, the technical training is the
stuff that I know I have to do and it will make
me better, but I love getting to fight, going out
there and doing my thing.
So, youve always enjoyed competition?
Did you ever suffer from nerves?
I think everyone gets nervous, but I do love
MATSIDE
the whole process of competing; Id compete
every weekend if I could. Going out to fight just
gives me the best feeling, so the more of that I
can get, the better.
In terms of the nerves, I have developed
a routine on competition days and think that
really helps; I even wear the same clothes all
the time to keep that familiarity. The venue will
change, but everything else becomes familiar.
Do you have any quirky rituals you go
through? What does your competition
warm-up look like?
I have lucky pants (laughs). So, if Im
competing a lot it, it can be a struggle to get
18 them through the wash.
In terms of my warm-up, I like to run around
for a bit, then some uchi-komi, some throwing
and also some spinning-off throws. I think its
important to add in some defensive stuff, so
getting someone to try and throw me, while I
spin off it, works well.
As a full time British Judoka, what do
you enjoy most about what you do?
I love travelling and competing all over the
world. I get to compete all over, and Ive been
to places like Japan, Brazil and Mongolia; I may
never have gone to these places if it wasnt for
judo. These experiences are very special for me.
I really enjoyed the judo training in Mongolia
in particular. I think maybe the style of fighting
they promote is good for me, with lots of uri-
nage attacks and stuff like that.
How would you describe your fighting
style, Jemima?
Most people just say Im crazy when I fight
(laughs). I dont mean to be, but sometimes
JEMIMA YEATS-BROWN
thats just how it goes. I guess Im not really
scared to try stuff when I compete, so I just need
to find the right balance between being smart
and fearless. My natural instinct is to just go, so
I know I need to become tactically minded.
Talk us through a day-in-the-life of
Jemima Yeats-Brown.
So, we have pre-hab or just a general
warm-up at 9 am. If youve had specific injuries,
so for me its knee issues, then youll do extra
knee stuff. 10 am is a technical session for one
or two hours with our coaches. In the middle
of the day we do conditioning or weights, then
randori in the evening.
A busy schedule! Moving on to
your career highlights, and a little
presumptuous on our part, but would
you say that your bronze medal at the
2014 Commonwealth Games is a career
highlight?
Yeah, I would. I think because I was
selected last minute, and because of the
environment on the day of competition, it was
a great memory for me. In judo terms it wasnt
really the hardest tournament, but a great
experience for me nonetheless.
On top of that, my Junior Worlds bronze
in Miami and silver at the U23 Europeans
stand out in my mind. I beat a few girls at the
Europeans that Id lost to previously, so that
was good.
You also travelled to the Rio Olympics
as a training partner for Sally Conway, so
how was that as an experience?
It was an amazing experience. Sallys
performances really gave me a boost when I
got back to the UK, as I just kept thinking, put
the work in now, because that could be you.
Seeing Sally do so well was awesome. I
helped warm her up in the morning and then
again for the final block of competition, too. She
performed so well, it was such great day. I also
got to see a lot of the other British athletes at
GB House and all in all, it was such good fun.
Having seen the Olympic experience
so close-up, what would it mean to you to
represent Great Britain in Tokyo?
It would mean everything to me. Every day
I do all I can to reach that goal; you sacrifice so
much to get there. Making it to Tokyo will be
the best thing ever, its as simple as that.
Thanks Jemima: any closing advice for
youngsters looking to make their mark as
a judoka?
Id say that you dont always have to be the
best, but you always have to turn up. Ive never
been the best technically, but Im always turning
up on time to training, never skipping a session,
I believe thats the most important thing.
A word from the Coach: Jamie Johnson
As we all know, Jemima is absolute
dynamite when she competes - she just loves to
fight. Weve been working hard on making sure
she doesnt get thrown so much herself, and
were having good progress. Shes one of those
players that could get thrown one moment then
throw an Olympic champion the next.
She is also one of the best trainers you
could ask for. Shell be the one staying on for
that extra practice or looking to do some extra
training. Obviously, her knee injury is a setback,
but she is just the right character to make a
solid recovery.
@mima_yb
YOUNG GUNS
19
 How did you take your first steps in
judo, Bekky?
I think the first memories I have are watching
my brother doing it; I was too young at the
time to do judo myself. Once I turned five I was
allowed to give it a go, even though Im not too
sure if youre supposed to do it as young as
five. I did my first class with my sister, Amy. Amy
actually didnt like the first class and quit, but I
carried on. It wasnt too long though until Amy
came back and we were all training together.
Its amazing that you, your brother and
sister have all reached such a high level in
judo it must be great to be able to share
your passion with them?
Yeah, its awesome. People usually think
that wed be really competitive amongst
ourselves to see who gets the best results,
but its not like that at all. Whenever we go to
compete we all want each other to do well and
MATSIDE
theres no jealousy or anything like that. We
support each other and we can all relate to
what its like to train hard and try to be the best
you can be.
Were there any other sports you could
have ended up doing if it wasnt for judo?
I think my mum tried me at everything: tap
dancing, ballet dancing, rugby, football and also
gymnastics. I did a fair bit of gymnastics, but if
there was a judo competition coming up, that
always took priority.
At what point did you realise judo was
going to be a big part of your life?
I think the first time I realised I was maybe
20 better than an average club player was when I
was invited onto the Elite Talent Development
(ETD) squad. I think I was thirteen at the time,
and that was probably the moment I thought I
could make a go of judo.
You moved down to the British Judo
Centre of Excellence when it first opened,
when you were 18 that must have been
an exciting time?
It was exciting, but quite nerve racking
as well. Before moving down to Walsall I was
living with my parents and I couldnt cook or
anything. So the move was quite an eye-
opener for me. The fact that I moved down with
what was really a group of friends, it was dead
exciting as well as being a bit scary.
Would you say theres somewhat
of a family feel amongst the athletes in
Walsall?
Everyone gets on really well, and were all
supporting each other. We all know we have
to work hard, not just for ourselves, but to
Bekky Livesey
help our training partners improve; everyone is
improving together.
Judo is a tough sport perhaps the
toughest of sports in terms of the training.
There must be times when the physical
demands become mentally challenging?
There are days when you wake up thinking,
I cannot be bothered today; Im too tired
and I just need to rest. But, you still have
to get through those days, and thats hard.
Sometimes you end up lashing out and telling
someone to get lost, but its just because
youre having one of those days. To be honest
though, those are the rare days, and most of
the time I want to get going and train.
Any professional sport involves
sacrifice, so its safe to say you missed out
on some of the more normal stuff that
your friends were doing during your teens?
When you get to around 15 or 16, youre
that bit older and all your mates are going out
socialising, and you do have to sacrifice some
of your time, yeah. Its tough missing out on
stuff at that age, but Im so glad I stuck to my
judo, because I wouldnt change my life now.
Well thats good to hear! What are the
best bits about being a British Judoka?
I love the way judo has shaped me as
a person - my general attitude. I feel more
grown up, independent and well mannered
than maybe I would be if it wasnt for judo.
I wouldnt think twice about doing a lot of
stuff on my own that my friends back home
wouldnt dream of.
So, what would say have been your
career highlights so far?
Id probably say my most recent highlight
was getting my Grand Prix medal last year.
That wasnt actually one of my goals for the
year, so achieving that was really amazing.
Obviously the Rio Olympics are just
behind us, and the cycle now beginning
looking ahead to Tokyo. Is your long-term
goal to be an Olympian?
I think thats everyones main goal in judo -
to get to the Olympics and to medal. Watching
the team compete in Rio was a really strange
feeling because, really, theyre just one of us. So
watching Sally go on and get a medal was just
amazing it was so good to see all her hard
work pay off. I think for a lot of judo players at
the Olympics, or most athletes really, getting a
 @bekkyliveseyxxx
medal is probably a bit of a relief, because most
people will have been working towards that
for around 20 years. So, yeah, getting to the
Olympics and medalling, its my goal.
And how would you feel about making
your Olympic debut in Tokyo?
It would be a bit of a dream come true, I
suppose. When we came back after Christmas
we had a big meeting with our coaches and
we are now focussing on the run to Tokyo.
Obviously, its four years away, and there are
plenty of goals for me in the shorter term, but
that has to be my long-term goal.
At the time of writing, youre just on
your way back from injury with an aim to
be competing again soon. Is competition
something that comes easily to you, or do
you suffer with nerves at all?
I used to be terrible with nerves. I remember
competing once and I was sick in a bin literally
ten steps from the mat, and I had to go
straight on to fight after that! I control it much
better now. I used to put too much pressure
on myself, but now I just think, at the end of
the day, youre going to go out there and win
or lose, but youre still going to have to go
out there. I concentrate on doing the things
YOUNG GUNS
Ive been working on and putting in good
performances.
As a young woman, youre a fantastic
role model for youngsters looking to take
up judo. How do you feel about being a
role model for little girls to look up to? 21
I love it. I come home most weekends
and teach at my local club; its always great to
see the little girls there happy to see me and
I will always have a little practice with them. It
does make me really happy, because I think
judo is still a sport with more men doing it.
Away from the mat Im a really girly girl, so its
important kids realise you can do judo and still
be yourself.
A word from the Coach: Jamie Johnson
Bekky has worked extremely hard and
improved massively on her gripping and also
her ne-waza. Much like Jemima, shes a
fantastic worker and loves to get stuck into her
training as much as she can.
Having recently returned from injury, we are
looking forward to seeing Bekky compete again
soon and continue to progress at a good rate.
 @lucyrenshallx
MATSIDE

22
 How old were you when you had your
first judo experience?
I was eight when I started, and it was
because my coach came to my primary school to
teach an eight-week taster course for judo. After
that course we all had an option to join the club,
obviously, and Id really enjoyed the eight weeks
so it was an easy decision. I did athletics and
gymnastics as a kid as well, but maybe because I
was a bit of a tomboy, I really took to the judo.
Is there anything in particular that you
enjoy about judo, which has kept you on
this path since you were eight?
For me, Id say Ive got a really competitive
nature and I just love to compete in judo. Getting
to go out and compete is the best part of the
process for me, and if I wasnt competing in judo
Id be doing it somewhere else, for sure.
Just like Amy and Bekky Livesey, you
came through the ranks at SKK Judo Club;
what do you think was so special about
that club?
I dont know really! I guess, because there
was a good group of us, all around the same
age, we were able to push each other a lot and
work hard together. SKK is also a great club,
but having other girls around you that share the
same goal was a big advantage.
And moving down to the British Judo
Centre of Excellence with your friends
must have made the transition easier?
Yeah 100%; coming down with Bekky, Amy
and Jodie (Myers) made things much easier
in terms of settling in and just adapting really.
Weve got a nice group bond.
How have you enjoyed the training
while youve been in Walsall?
Its been great for me. There are plenty
of training partners around my weight, which
is really important, and I get all the support I
need from every area really. All the athletes are
working together to achieve the same goals, so
its perfect to keep you motivated and focused.
Youve had some great results so far
in your career, Lucy, so do you have any
standout moments?
So far, winning the U23 Europeans and
Junior Europeans was really good for me. I also
really enjoyed the Paris Grand Slam this year
and I was pretty happy with what I managed to
do. I went out there without much expectation
and was going to just try to enjoy the
experience, but I ended up fighting for a bronze
medal. I was a bit gutted to not get the medal
once Id made it through to fight, but overall,
that was a great experience - having such a big
Lucy Renshall
crowd in attendance was just amazing.
You did put in some amazing
performances! So whats your competition
day routine like?
To be honest, I dont really have that many
routines or anything like that. I like to be a bit
more chilled out: talking to people, being nice
and relaxed. I know thats probably not the
normal or most common approach, but thats
just me. Id rather be like that and not think
about it all so much in a dead serious mind-set.
You were a training partner for Alice
Schlesinger and Nekoda Smythe-Davies in
Rio, so how did you find that experience?
It was really amazing. To be there and see
everything about the Olympics from sort of
YOUNG GUNS
behind the scenes was really interesting, and it
definitely gave me even more motivation to want
to knuckle down and work hard to be competing
at the Olympics in Tokyo. Im actually really
grateful to have that experience at the Olympics
before hopefully getting there as an athlete.
So, the main focus is, of course, Tokyo
is that constantly on your mind already?
Not really, to be honest. I mean, its always
there, but I have set goals weve laid out that I
am much more focused on in the short term, but
obviously that all leads up to the bigger picture
of Tokyo. In my head, I focus on results at each
competition I attend and if I perform at every
competition, Im heading in the right direction. 23
In closing, would you have any advice
for aspiring judokas?
I think the main thing is you need to try and
have fun. If youre not enjoying things I dont
believe youre going to get the best out of your
training. There are obviously times to be serious,
but enjoy yourself and if you love the sport, you
will have all the tools to do the best you can.
A word from the Coach: Jamie Johnson
Lucy is a bit of a rogue at times, but she has
massive, massive potential. She perhaps needs
a little more guidance to keep her on the right
track, but I really think the sky is the limit for her.
She has a very unorthodox style, with a tall
frame and long reach, which is a real strength at
her weight. With Lucys competitive edge, and
her development curve at the moment, she is
set to achieve great things if kept on track.
 With your father, Dennis, an Olympic
medallist, were you always destined to get
into judo?
(Laughs) Maybe. Well, I have two older
brothers that used to do judo as well as my dad,
so I remember watching them when I was too
young to do it myself and really wanted to get
involved. As soon as I was old enough I was on
the mat getting up to speed with my brothers.
Your father is an Olympic medallist, but
hes also your coach how does that work
out for you?
Its great to have him as my coach. I think
sometimes my dad gets frustrated if people refer
to me as Dennis son instead of Max, if you
know what I mean? I dont personally see my
dads achievements as putting any extra pressure
on my shoulders, and I just try not to think about
it too much. I just get on with it and work hard on
developing myself.
MATSIDE
Every now and then, if Im at a competition
that my dad entered, Ill want to try and get a
better result than him just to brag about it on the
Monday, but other than that, I dont think about it
all too much.
Growing up, there are always going to be
some occasions where its tough having your
dad as your judo coach, so Id have to hear stuff
about school or whatever at home. That said, its
definitely all worked out for the best now.
Youve moved up in weight from -81kg
to -90kg over the past year or so how do
you feel youve adapted to the change?
Ever since I started judo I wanted to fight
24 -90kg, thats the weight I always looked at as
my goal. I felt like it was always going to happen,
but after getting injured in 2015, I tore my ACL,
that gave me a little push to speed things up and
move on to -90kg. You always worry if changing
weight is going to be a good decision, but once I
knew I was going to be off the mat for six months
recovering from injury, it felt like the right time to
go up in weight.
Why did you always want to compete
at -90kg?
There were lots of good players I used to
watch and I think generally I just always enjoyed
watching the judo at that weight. Its not like the
heavy, heavy weight division, where it can be a bit
slow, and I just think its a good weight for judo.
Have you been working hard in the gym
to gain muscle?
I was sat at around 85kg, so in the middle of
the two divisions a bit anyway. I could cut down
to 81kg in about a week and be fine to perform.
I have struggled to put the weight on, but Im
MAX STEWART
sat at about 89/90kg now, so getting there. At
the moment though I am eating so much, and
if I miss a meal Ill drop weight. Hopefully, in a
couple more months Ill be there though, add a
few kg and be looking at cutting a little bit to get
down to -90kg.
People dont often understand that its
hard to gain weight in the proper way, and
it requires eating a lot more good food.
I agree, I think people assume its easy to put
weight on sometimes. I have to eat a lot at the
moment, and like you say, the right foods at the
right time. It can be tough to manage, but were
getting there now. For me, its harder to gain
weight than lose weight.
Going back to your injury: knee surgery
is always tough to recover from physically,
but we imagine the mental side can be
just as demanding?
Even more demanding in many ways. So
the combination of rest and rehab is one thing;
it can get boring, but you just want to get back
to training as quick as possible and it becomes
frustrating. Because of that, you run the risk of
coming back too soon and ruining everything all
over again. Luckily, weve a great team around
us at British Judo and you get all the support you
need to get back healthy.
What would you say are your strengths
as a fighter?
Tough question. I always try and keep the
pace going for the full match because I lost a lot
of matches when I was younger because I was
switching off too soon. Over the last couple of
years Ive got better at my contest management.
In my head, I always feel like I can throw my
opponent, and I think thats a really important
thing to believe. Even if Im losing, in my head I
am always confident I can get the big score.
Even though you were young, there
was an outside chance you could have
competed at the London Olympics, which
must spur you on even more for Tokyo?
Yeah, there was a slim chance Id compete in
London at -73kg, but it didnt happen. I did watch
the judo in London though and it was amazing,
just like watching the judo in Rio.
One thing thats amazing about the Olympics
is that you can see athletes that are normally cool,
calm and collected just completely buckle under
the pressure. Theres something about the fact
its an opportunity that comes up every four years
that some people cant quite handle and I @stewart_max
guess thats what makes it so special.
I went to Rio as a training partner for
Ben (Fletcher) and I saw it there; plenty
of top, top guys cracking under pressure
and losing to guys that they would never
normally lose to.
Anyway, the Olympics are obviously
my ultimate goal. I do want to get to as
many European and World Championships
as well. In many ways, the World
Championships is even harder than the
Olympics because each nation can put
two players in per weight now. But, all said
and done, Olympics is the big one and it
gets more recognition outside of judo in the
mainstream media as well.

A word from the Coach: Dennis Stewart

YOUNG GUNS
I have always believed
Max has fantastic ability; he
had a really good junior
career before stalling a
bit through injury and
adjusting to a new
weight. All of that
is behind him now,
so this year is all
about making
him strong
enough and
heavy enough
to compete
with the top 15 25
players in his
class before we
enter the Olympic
qualification period.
Hes got a very good
technical range, and he can
up his tempo and change his
strategy within a match very well.
Everything is all in order with
Max, so we just need to get his
strength up there to compete.
 TOURNAMENT
2017 PARIS
REVIEW GRAND SLAM
T he Paris Grand
Slam is without
doubt one of the highlights
of the judo calendar.
Winning a medal at the
Paris tournament is a
career highlight for many
judoka and with a field
as strong as any World
Championships, its always
going to be a hard-earned
medal.
MATSIDE

A five-strong British
squad of Kelly Edwards,
Lucy Renshall, Natalie
Powell, Ashley McKenzie
and Max Stewart took
to the mat across the
two days of action at The venue: AccorHotels Arena, Paris
the AccorHotels Arena
(formerly the Bercy
Arena) on Saturday 11
and Sunday 12 February. A combination of
injuries, illness and unavailability meant that
up to seven other British judoka who could
have been selected werent able to make the
26 trip out to Paris.
However, each of the players who would
take their bow in Paris had shown they could
compete and medal on the IJF World Tour,
with Renshall and Stewart both making their
debuts at Paris for this years tournament.
And in the end it was the two debutants who
made a real impression at the weekend, with
both judoka just missing out on the medals
Bronze medal match: Lucy Renshall vs Kiyomi Wantanabe.
as they finished in fifth place.
On day one it was Renshall who
impressed at -63kg, as the SKK judoka
took on Spains Sarai Padilla Guerrero in the
second round after receiving a bye as a top
eight seed in the category.
Renshall put in a very strong performance
against the Spanish judoka and forced her
opponent to pick up two shidos, before one
final attack saw her score waza-ari in the dying
seconds to book her spot in the last eight.
Olympic champion, Tina Trstenjak (SLO),
was next up and the Slovenian had looked in
serious form in her first match, scoring four
waza-ari against Gankhaich Bold (MGL). She
carried that form forward and was able to
secure osaekomi with less than two minutes
remaining, for the full 20 seconds.
Dropping into the repechage, Renshall
faced Japans Miho Minei, 2014 Junior World
champion and 2016 Tokyo Grand Slam silver
medallist. Minei had also beaten Renshall at
the 2014 Junior Worlds, but Renshall turned
in arguably her best performance of the day
as she proved more than a match for the
Japanese judoka.
IM FIGHTING THE BEST PLAYERS
IN THE WORLD AND IM COMING OFF
AND IM QUITE CONFIDENT THAT IF I
DO FIGHT THEM AGAIN IT COULD BE
DIFFERENT - MAX STEWART
The British fighter displayed great maturity
as she went ahead by waza-ari with half
the contest to go and, despite conceding a
couple of late shidos, was able to hold on to
the lead.
Kiyomi Watanabe was her opponent for
bronze and the Philippine judoka had been
in great form during the day, including a win
over World No.10, Junxia Yang of China. In a
tough contest, Renshall was close to scoring
on a number of occasions but couldnt
quite finish the contest. With less than thirty
seconds to go, Watanabe was able to get
Renshall in an awkward position to apply juji-
gatame, forcing the British judoka to tap out.
Despite missing out, Renshall admitted
that she didnt feel at all out of place fighting
in front of such a big crowd:
It was a really good experience. It was
the biggest crowd that Ive ever fought with,
so it was a great experience to have. It was
good that I didnt just have one fight and lost.
I had a few chances to get out and see what
it felt like really.
Max Stewart backstage with Elite Performance coach, John-Paul Bell.
I know now that
I can compete at
this level, and fight
at this level and do
well and place, and
hopefully next time
itll be a medal, so
Ill take that from this
competition.
Kelly Edwards
(-52kg) was looking to back up a strong end
to 2016 as she took on Romanias Larisa
Florian in the first round. Edwards had beaten
Florian in their most recent encounter at the
2016 Zagreb Grand Prix but the Romanian
also had a win to her name at the 2015 Baku
European Games. It was close tactical affair
with the only score in regulation time a shido
against the British judoka for passivity. In the
end Florian finished the contest in golden
TOURNAMENT REVIEW
score as she threw for waza-ari.
Ashley McKenzie (-60kg) was making his
return to international judo for the first time
since the Rio Olympic Games. He was up
against home favourite, Walide Khyar (FRA),
in the second round and it was a sign of how
excited the crowd were that people were
chanting Khyars name even before he was
called to the mat.
Khyar had won their previous encounter
at the 2016 European Championships in
Kazan, when McKenzie had led by a yuko
before the French judoka came on strong to
win by waza-ari. This fight followed a similar
27
 fight went into golden score
but Stewart had dominated
the gripping and attacks
and eventually forced his
opponent into hansoku-
make via a third shido.
2015 World Champion
and Rio bronze medallist,
Donghan Gwak (KOR),
would be his opponent for
bronze. In a very tactical
contest it was Stewart who
got on the wrong side of
a few of the decisions and
found himself with three
shidos inside regulation time
Lucy Renshall warms-up with her coach, Jamie Johnson. and outside of the medals.
Speaking afterwards,
the 23 year old admitted
storyline, with McKenzie controlling things at feeling disappointed but did take some
MATSIDE

early on before going ahead by waza-ari with positives from the day:
just over a minute to go. However, Khyar Bit gutted coming off having just lost
came back well and the British judoka was the bronze fight but Ive really enjoyed
penalised twice in the final minute. These myself. Everyone said Enjoy it. Dont get
two shidos added to an early penalty, which too nervous. I felt quite relaxed when I was
meant McKenzie lost by hansoku-make with fighting, even though it was a bigger crowd
nine seconds to go. than I am used to. I fought pretty well and
A day later, Max Stewart, whose father relaxed into it.
Dennis won silver at the Paris tournament Im fighting some of the best players
in 1987, was up against Yakhyo Imamov in the world and Im coming off and Im
(UZB) in his first contest. The Uzbek judoka quite confident that if I do fight them again
had won the Paris Grand Slam in 2013 at it could be different. Im not going out there
-81kg and was sure to be a tough opponent. and getting thrown, so Im pleased with my
However, Stewart got the better of the performance.
28 gripping exchanges before throwing Imamov Natalie Powell was the other British
for ippon with a lovely drop attack. judoka in action on Sunday as she returned
Next up was Faruch Bulekulov (KGZ) and to international competition for the first time
it proved a difficult match for the British judoka since the Rio Olympic Games last summer.
as he went behind by waza-ari. Stewart
continued to press though and as the clock
wound down, the Kyrgyzstan judoka was
forced to pick up three shidos which gave
Stewart the win by hansoku-make.
Home favourite and World No.5, Axel
Clerget (FRA), was next up but Stewart
wasnt fazed by the vocal Parisian crowd.
Clerget came out hard, but as the contest
wore on the Birmingham fighter grew into the
challenge and forced it into golden score.
Unfortunately, Stewart found himself on the
wrong side of an attempted attack and was
thrown by the French judoka, to the delight of
the home crowd.
Dropping into the repechage, he still had
an opportunity to fight for bronze and proved
Bronze medal match: Max Stewart vs Donghan Gwak.
too strong for David Tekic of Germany. The
 IPPON
OF THE
DAY
Semi-Final 66kg: Hifumi Abe
Elite Performance Coach, Kate Howey, backstage with Kelly Edwards and Lucy Renshall. (JPN) vs Antoine Bouchard
(CAN).

The Irfon judoka had won bronze in Paris last year but has
only returned to full-time training in the last couple of months.
She showed no signs of rustiness in her first contest against
Georgette Sagna of Senegal as she scored two waza-ari
inside the opening minute. From then on she controlled the
contest and secured her spot in the quarter-finals.
Koreas Yujin Parj was next up and it proved to be a bit of
a humdinger with Powell taking the lead by waza-ari before

TOURNAMENT REVIEW
Park levelled things up. Going into the dying seconds, Powell
appeared to have scored waza-ari and secured osaekomi in the
process.
However, the referee called matte and, after deliberation
with the table officials, the score was taken off Powell and
given to Park. With only three seconds left on the clock the
British judoka was unable to get the score back and dropped
into the repechage.
In the repechage final, young French judoka Sama Hawa
Camara proved a very tough customer as she forced Powell
to pick up two shidos through a combination of a high-attack
rate and some strong gripping. However, the contest did
go into golden score but Powell was countered and thrown
MAGIC
for ippon, meaning she finished in seventh place at her first
competition of the year.
MOMENT 29
Speaking afterwards, GB Elite Performance Coach Kate Still only 19 years-old,
Howey MBE, was pleased with the performance of the whole Japans Hifumi Abe put
team overall: on a number of electric
This has been a good tournament for us as a team. performances, including his
The youngsters have proved they can compete at this level complete destruction of the
and challenge for medals. From a team of five, to get three Russian, Anzaur Ardanov,
placings is good, as its the first major of the year and players in the 66kg final.
are still adjusting to the new rules. We will keep building as a
programme and move on to the next competition.

I KNOW NOW THAT I CAN

COMPETE AT THIS LEVEL,
AND FIGHT AT THIS LEVEL
AND DO WELL AND PLACE
- LUCY RENSHALL
 CHRIS
GB SPECIAL
MURPHY: NEEDS JUDOKA
CHRIS MURPHY IS ONE OF OUR TOP SPECIAL NEEDS JUDOKA. THE 22-YEAR-OLD FROM
GLASGOW IS A REGULAR ON THE INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT AND CAN OFTEN BE FOUND
ON THE MEDAL ROSTRUM, NO MATTER WHERE HE FIGHTS.
With a busy year ahead competition- I originally started as a Level 3/2, moving
wise, we thought wed grab Chris for a up as my judo developed. I was moved up
quick chat to find out how he got into the to Level 1 when I was selected to be a GB
sport, some of his career highlights to player. The transition was a development, as
date and also to get his honest thoughts was my judo.
on SN judo in the UK. How do you find the standard of
So, how did you get started in judo? domestic SN judo in the UK? Do you
MATSIDE

The local Sport Council sent flyers into my think its getting better?
unit at school when I was 12 years old. My In some ways its getting better; there
first club was Pro Judo for nine years, but now is awareness of SN judo comps where
Im at Shettleston Judo Club. the numbers are getting better. Coaches
What drew you to the sport? do a great job without a doubt, but more
Id tried various sports growing up and communication is greatly needed and there is
judo is what I enjoyed the most. However, I also a lack of national competitions.
wasnt so sure til after a couple months. I
enjoyed the structure of judo, learning to do
things a certain way.
What does your normal training week
consist of?
I do at least three judo sessions a week
on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday,
30 but occasionally Ill also do Tuesday and
Saturday sessions. I also do gym work one to
two times a week.
Have you ever fought in any
mainstream competitions before?
Yes, but only Level 3 events with GB
coaches permission. They are good
competition practice as Scotland only has one
SN event yearly.
Did you face any challenges as a SN
judoka?
Yes, and I still do. An increasing issue
is getting to fight my own weight and level
category without being moved up. Its ok now
and then, but not to the point where everyone
thinks thats my actual category, when its
actually -81.
You mention fighting your own weight
and level category and the issues around
that. In terms of your level, has that
changed during your career, or has it
been set throughout?

THERE IS AWARENESS OF
SPECIAL NEEDS JUDO COMPS
WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE
GETTING BETTER
So, in your opinion, what more needs
to be done to improve SN judo in Great
Britain?
I feel that there has to be
acknowledgement of achievements of all
levels. I think more information needs to
be shared with coaches and clubs so that
nobody misses out on any opportunities.
I think there has to be some funding
made available to help ease the cost of
competitions, including day expenses etc. I
also feel that there has to be a set structure of
rules throughout; rules that have to be abided
to, with no exceptions.
Would you think of taking on a role
which involved either coaching or
recruiting people into SN judo?
I am a UKCC1 coach, where I assist with
training sessions when time allows. I also
go into schools to do demonstrations for
pupils. Im currently trying to raise awareness
of SN Judo in Scotland and hopefully, in
time, Britain. An example of this is when
I represented British Judo at the Judo for
Peace project in Malta 2014, where they
had me do a talk regarding SN Judo and not
long ago when I gave a warm up at a judo
competition by Tryst Jud, who were raising
funds for SN judo.
Going back to your competitive
career, youre a member of the GB
Special Needs team. At what point did
you think that you could take your judo
to that international level?
My coach thought I should give it a try
after a few years into the sport. After fighting
my first British SN Open, I fought a few Dutch
judoka and won a silver. That inspired me to
train harder and two weeks later I fought at my
first Dutch SN Open, my first time fighting for
GB, and I won the gold.
How do you find the standard of SN
judo internationally? Has it got better
over the years?
Its a bit of a 50/50 because the players
have been getting better, but the structure
varies at different competitions from change
of rules to changing of
categories/levels.
Who has been your
toughest opponent in
your career and why?
Id have to say, still to
this day, Youri from Holland.
He was Dutch number
one, 6ft 6 (and Im 5ft 9!)
Incredible judoka on and off the mat; we
always pushed each other to the limits but
sadly he had to retire early due to injury.
You were a member of the GB team
at the 2015 Special Olympics World
Games in Los Angeles. What was that
experience like?
It was an amazing experience and a great
opportunity. It was well organised and you got
to meet with people from all over the world. It
was a fantastic time and I will not forget it.
CHRIS MURPHY
You won a silver medal at those
Games. Can you tell us a bit about that
day in particular?
Despite having to fight a mixed weight
and losing the first fight, I was a bit annoyed
at myself for getting caught; I bounced back
and won the silver. I cant remember much
about the fights themselves besides my
Russian opponent trying to kick my knee out.
Overall, I was happy with my win and the
atmosphere was amazing.
And finally, what are your plans for
the year competition-wise?
My competitive plans for this year are
the Scottish SN, British SN, European 31
SN or German SN Open, the Special
Olympics National Games in Sheffield and
hoping to compete in the first IJF SN World
Championships in October. It would be a great
disappointment to miss that as this is what
Ive been working towards.
To find out how you can get involved
in Special Needs Judo visit the BJA
website: http://www.britishjudo.org.
uk/gb-judo/gb-special-needs-judo/ or
contact the BJA Disability Lead, Kerry
Tansey: kerry.tansey@britishjudo.org.uk
 KATE HOWEY: TECH FOCUS WITH OUR 2X OLYMPIC MEDALIST AND ELITE PERFORMANCE COACH

UCHI-MATA VARIATION
Kate Howey is a the only British woman to have won two Olympic medals: bronze in
Barcelona 1992 and silver in Sydney 2000. She was also crowned World Champion in
Paris 1997. In this instalment of Tech Focus, our Elite Performance Coach focuses on
three of her favourite techniques from her competition career.

11 12
MATSIDE

Uchi-mata is a leg throw, but the dominant movement you start with in this variation comes
from your hands. Having gained grips, you start by swinging your opponent forwards and to
32 the right as pictured. This off balances them, but also creates a more efficient attacking angle.

3 4
Most uchi-mata throws see you just step in and attack, but this swinging motion means you can
use the opponents momentum to enter into a much more effective throw.

5 6

TECHNIQUE FOCUS
7 8

33

19 11
10
 KATE HOWEY: TECH FOCUS WITH OUR 2X OLYMPIC MEDALIST AND ELITE PERFORMANCE COACH
SEOI-OTOSHI VARIATION

11 12
MATSIDE

Start by stepping backwards with your right foot, so its now a left hand on right hand
stance. As you strip your opponents grip, push their arm across their body, so you are now
shoulder to shoulder. Your opponents natural reaction will be to push back with their right
arm, which creates momentum for the attack.

13 14

34

15 16
As your opponent pushes back with their right arm, you are able to enter and attack with a seoi-
otoshi / tai-otoshi variation.

7 8

TECHNIQUE FOCUS
9 10

35

1
11
11
12
 KATE HOWEY: TECH FOCUS WITH OUR 2X OLYMPIC MEDALIST AND ELITE PERFORMANCE COACH
JUJI-GATAME COUNTER TO SEOI-NAGE

11 12
MATSIDE

Your opponent has started to attack with a drop seoi-nage. However, this is a solid defence and
counter attack that can work really well for you.

36
13 14

As your opponent drops to their knees, makes sure you keep in good posture and post your
hands on their back. This maintains distance, prevents you from being thrown and allows you to
initiate an attack.
Wrap your opponents right arm with your left arm as pictured, at the same time inserting
your right hook, which should shoot right across your opponents waist and arrive on the
left of their hip as you roll. Make sure your left shin drives down across your opponents
neck and you cradle their right leg with your right arm. ALWAYS keep your feet crossed
and bring your left hand hand across your thigh to maintain control as you finish.

15 16

TECHNIQUE FOCUS
7 8

37

9
1
10
 KIDS CORNER
WORD SEARCH
J N T T K P S H I C Q H P T J

D I O X R E Q F O C M K A R N

L E M L N A G J E L A U R A Z

G S M S L R I U C R Z O I W C

R S E B R A Q N I A I U S E U
MATSIDE

U I B C B I F N I X E G G T Z

F F H G N O A G M N S H R S J

B Y L H D B V I I O G W A X K

Y Z C U R I M A T A T U N A O

O E B Y O Z C H Y N R O D M D
38
T Y A C H A M P I O N C S S O

F N K S D R A W D E Y L L E K

T D P O D Q D D H E Q P A M A

L W Y H T T Y Y Z Q J R M Z N

J K H J W F A Y Z N K Y U L O

HOW MANY OF TECHNIQUE

CHAMPION
KODOKAN
SENSEI
TATAMI
SEIZA
THESE WORDS TOKYO
KYU
KARINABRYANT
PARISGRANDSLAM
KELLYEDWARDS
TRAINING
CAN YOU FIND? BUDO CRAIGFALLON MAXSTEWART
 Solutions: 1. Tape around judokas wrist. 2. Judokas hair colour has changed. 3. Sign logo colour has
changed. 4. Logo has gone from judokas trousers. 5. Stewards jacket colour has changed. 6. Judokas
shoulder logo has changed.
39

KIDS CORNER
CAN YOU SPOT SIX DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO PICTURES?
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
 #1
#

WHATS WRONG
WHATS WRONG JONNY,
JONNY, II REALLY
REALLY DO,
DO, BUT
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TRY NOT
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##22 DONT YOU WANT TO IM SO
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WORRY. IT
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TRY? AND II DONT
AND DONT KNOW
KNOW SCARY NOW,
SCARY NOW, BUT
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GIVE ANYONE THERE. TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.
ANYONE THERE. TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.

INSIDE... #4 YEAH IM REALLY

#5
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#4 HEY! IS THIS YOUR 5 NERVOUS.
HEY! NERVOUS.
FIRSTISJUDO
THIS CLASS?
YOUR
FIRST JUDO CLASS?

DONT WORRY,
DONT WORRY,
YOUR FIRST CLASS
YOUR FIRSTSCARY,
IS ALWAYS CLASS
IS
BUTALWAYS
YOURESCARY,
GOING
BUT YOURE
TO HAVE GOING
FUN!
TO HAVE FUN!
 HEY
HEY JONNY,
JONNY,GLAD
GLAD
#6
# 6 YOU ##77
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ANDTODAY
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FIRST EVER JUDO CLASS.

#9 OK KIDS, LETS GET #10

#9 OK KIDS,
THE CLASSLETS GET
STARTED! #10
WE ALL REMEMBER HOW THE CLASS STARTED!
WE ALL YOUR
SCARY REMEMBER HOW
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CAN BE,YOUR FIRST YOU
SO I WANT CLASS
CAN BE, SO I WANT
TO MAKE SURE JONNY YOU
TO MAKEIN
SETTLES SURE
ANDJONNY
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SETTLES IN AND FEELS
WELCOME.
WELCOME.
 CLUB FOCUS:
SKK JUDO CLUB
WWW.SKKJUDO.COM || 01925 226 885 || HEAD COACH: PETER BLOOD
MATSIDE

42
 W
ith a conveyor belt of talent
regularly coming through the
doors, SKK Judo Club is one
of the standout facilities in Britain. Head
Coach of over 25 years, Peter Blood, has
nurtured the likes of Michelle Rogers
and Simon Rankin, as well as current GB
athletes, Lucy Renshall and the Livesey
sisters. On top of that, hes seen the
club go through a huge 800k overhaul
pretty impressive stuff! We sat down
with the SKK head-honcho to discuss his
experiences and approach to coaching.
class on a Friday. I normally do extra sessions
Hi Peter, so when did you start your with some of the competitive players at the
journey into judo? weekends. Thats the beauty of the club really,
I started at SKK when I was seven. My as I can use it however we need to cater for
first instructor was actually blind; he was in the players. The space is also rented out for
the Guinness book of records at the time for corporate functions and stuff like that as well.
being the first blind black belt in the Western How do you structure your classes?

CLUB FOCUS
Hemisphere. I was at SKK until I was about Do you segregate students depending on
15 years-old and then I went to AJ Leigh: their ability?
Alan Jones club. I eventually re-opened SKK Basically, our first class of a day is the
Judo Club myself when I was in my twenties, beginners / intermediate session, then we
having done a bit of coaching, and Ive been progress on to the more advanced stuff after
doing it ever since. that. Because we have such a big mat, we
SKK has gone through plenty of usually split a session into two. So, even a
changes during your time, including the big beginners class will be split so we can have a
facilities overhaul around ten years ago? coach working with the complete beginners,
Yes, thats right; we got the community and another working with the slightly more
facility grant around ten years ago now as you advanced beginners.
say. So, basically, British Judo sent a letter Obviously, youre the head coach, but
out saying that they were imposing a facility presumably you have a team of coaches
strategy not many clubs answered the letter, who help you out?
so I believe, but I did. I was lucky enough to Yes, I do. Dermot Heslop helps me; hes 43
be selected as part of the incentive, along with 7th Dan. On top of that Ive qualified quite a
Dartford and Redbridge Judo Club. few coaches actually. Ive probably got about
We originally received a grant of seven qualified coaches that all muck-in and
480,000, but we came in way over budget help as much as they can.
at nearly double that, but
we still got the money and
we have a very nice facility
now for judo. Now we have
a huge, purpose built dojo
of roughly 42 metres by 14
metres. We have a weights
room, an office, kitchen,
changing rooms and
physiotherapy room.
Thats fantastic! Given
that you have such a great
facility, you must have a
busy schedule of classes?
So, we do two classes
on a Monday, two classes
on a Wednesday and a
 WE ORIGINALLY RECEIVED A GRANT OF
480,000, BUT WE CAME IN WAY OVER
BUDGET AT NEARLY DOUBLE THAT, BUT
WE STILL GOT THE MONEY AND WE HAVE
A VERY NICE FACILITY NOW FOR JUDO
So, having been a coach and
involved with SKK for such a long
time, what would you say is the most
rewarding thing about what you do?
For me, I really enjoy the travelling
and watching the players compete.
For example, Im going to Alicante this
weekend with ten of our players the club
travels quite a lot. I like that part of it, the
travelling part, and I think its important.
MATSIDE
Seeing the kids develop and growing
into nice people is the most rewarding
thing. Our club has been quite successful,
and weve had some very good players
come through, but weve also had plenty
of people come through the club whove
become successful in life, with good
careers and good relationships. They often
put that down to judo and the discipline
and work ethic it gives you. As Ive gotten
older, its become less about the winning
and more about the general benefits of
judo. Ive mellowed in my old age!
SKK has produced, or had a hand
44 in, a number of very successful players
over the years can you run through
some of the standouts?
Well, Michelle Rogers
is one. I did actually work
with Nigel Donohue during
my time at AJ Leigh
as well, so I did some
coaching with him while he
was younger. The Lomaxs
came through the ranks,
so did Simon Rankin, and
then weve obviously got
the Livesey family and the girls involved with
British Judo at the moment.
An impressive list of athletes;
whats your secret Peter?
Well, theres no secret, but I do think
because we travel a lot as a club to compete,
that helps. We do a couple of training
camps a year abroad as well, and over
the years the likes of Owen and his sisters
have experienced that growing up. For me,
getting youngsters this sort of exposure and
experience early on is vital. A lot of the kids
who go to compete for England are going
into that sort of environment for the first time,
while my lot get experiences like that early on
through the club.
I try to bring in elite players to the club
when I can as well, so that the kids can
see the top athletes and hopefully it will
give them inspiration. Like I say, theres no
secret, I think the main thing is plenty of
hard work. Talent will get you so far, hard
work and dedication gets you over the line.
SKK is known as a competitive club,
so would you agree that competition is
a great way to improve your judo?
Well, yeah, I dont hide that were
 pushing them, so its a team effort to make
sure theyre prepared.
What would you say are the standout,
proudest moments from your career as a
judo coach?
I would say watching any of our members
go on and achieve on the big stages;
watching athletes winning medals at big
tournaments, representing Great Britain, its
always very rewarding and it does make me
proud. Watching one of your players step out
in Paris in front of 15,000 people definitely
does give you a buzz. Theyre probably the
things that spur me on and keep me going
after all these years!
And it must be great when some of
your past members come back through
the doors to pay a visit?
Thats always great. We mention our past
players all the time to the current crop of kids,

CLUB FOCUS
because its great motivation for them and
they can look at the likes of Amy, Bekky or
Lucy as role models.
Thanks for your time, Peter. In closing,
what advice would you give to aspiring
coaches?
I would say: try to be your own man.
You can obviously take snippets from other
coaches, but you need to find your own path.
Youll always make mistakes, I certainly have in
the past, but keep believing in yourself and put
a competitive club at all thats what we plenty of graft in.
are and everyone that joins knows that. I probably spend 20 - 25 hours a week
Competition, well it tests you, doesnt it? running the club. And coaching is the easy
Its not for everyone, but its a worthwhile side; its the other bits and pieces that need 45
experience and you will soon learn if its organising or helping parents with their kids
something you want to do regularly or just that takes time. But thats all part of it, you
now and then. But, ultimately, it does help become somewhat of a mentor and judo really
you develop. is a way of life. Its sort of what defines me as
Youve had the likes of the Livesey a person really.
family, Jodie Myers and Lucy Renshall
coming through the ranks recently is it
easy to spot this sort of talent?
(Laugh). I can usual tell within a few
seconds. The Liveseys, as an example, are
a very unique situation to get three of them
like that going on to do good things. I have
a lot of girls at my club and I think the role
models that Ive had through the years has
encouraged more girls to succeed.
Once you recognise a talented, young
player, do you treat them any differently?
I probably push them that bit harder,
yeah. I have a couple of youngsters going
to Spain next week, as an example, and
well structure some of the sessions around
 A DAY IN
JOHN
THE LIFE: MALKINSON
As we all know, time management can
be tricky business. Finding the perfect
balance between work, family, friends and
recreation is the ultimate goal; its a shame
there are only 24 hours in the day. Despite
a demanding career in education requiring
a daily commute to the capital, Dr John
Malkinson maintains huge responsibilities
within the British Judo community, and has
perhaps discovered the winning formula for
getting the most out of your day.
H aving started judo at the age of six,
MATSIDE
John is currently a 3rd Dan black
belt, based predominantly out of Medway
Park Judo Club, Gillingham. Following in the
footsteps of his father, Terry, (a 5th Dan black
belt and Medway Park Judo Club Chairman),
Johns responsibilities include being Senior
Coach and Secretary for his local club, but
thats only part of the picture
Roles at Medway Sports Academy, Kent
Schools and as Southern Area Coach round-
off Malkinsons coaching CV, but it doesnt
stop there. He is also a National B referee,
Kata sub-committee representative for Kent
and a senior examiner and assessor. In fact,
46 he also helped develop some of the criteria for
new assessors to be, well, assessed.
Derek Paxton and myself wrote a training
programme for new senior examiners, John
explains. As a senior examiner, I also do Dan
grading assessments. We have six gradings a
year in the Kent area.
What makes this ludicrously long list of
judo responsibilities even more astounding is
adding in Johns day job: teaching chemistry
on the Master of Pharmacy degree programme
AT LEAST THREE DAYS A WEEK
I LEAVE WORK, GET THE TRAIN
BACK TO GILLINGHAM AND THEN
HAVE TO WALK STRAIGHT TO THE
DOJO TO TEACH
at University College London (UCL).
Its difficult, thats for sure, John says
on managing his hectic schedule. I work
in London, so usually have an early start to
commute. If I have a 9am lecture for example,
I really need to be on site for 8am, which
obviously means Im up bright and early.
At least three days a week, quite often
four, I leave work, get the train back to
Gillingham and then have to walk straight to
the dojo to teach. I usually unlock the dojo on
Monday and Thursday, and I often help out
with all the kids we have on a Wednesday. I
am also part of the coaching team that runs
the Tuesday night session.
On paper, the profile of a judo fighter and
that of a chemistry whizz couldnt seem further
apart, but John has excelled in both fields.
In fact, he believes theres plenty of overlap
between his career and life on the mats.
There are definitely skills Ive learned
that are transferable across my work and
judo life, John states. The main skill would
obviously be teaching, as I do a lot of
teaching for work and pleasure, which in turn
led to an understanding of good practice in
teaching. So, good teaching practice has
been valuable for me whether Im lecturing a
workshop or running a judo class. I am also
used to handling a hell of a lot of admin within
my work role, which has been very helpful
with my judo responsibilities.
From the other perspective, judo has
definitely helped shape my career, as my first
experience of teaching and instructing came
from judo. One thing you get from that is
an ability to tailor your approach to cater for
individuals of different
needs. This is much
the same in academia,
as you get people of
different abilities, with
different needs, so
its important to be
able to match them
with the appropriate
teaching style to cater
for their needs.
 47

A DAY IN THE LIFE

 A DAY IN THE LIFE 9:00am First Year
integrated
3RD DAN: JOHN MALKINSON therapeutics workshop: 40-
50 students work in small
groups of five or six. In todays
SO, WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY IN THE workshop, students are
looking at the management of
LIFE LOOK LIKE FOR JOHN MALKINSON?
blood pressure.

Most days involve an early start for me as

6:00AM I have to commute to work in London. I
rarely eat breakfast so I can lay in as long
as possible!

6:45AM
Its a quick 10 12:20pM I have lunch at my
minute drive to desk most days
Gillingham. I park of the week. The Refectory
MATSIDE

next to Medway serves hot food as well as

Park so I can walk to sandwiches and salads. I
the station and back catch up with whatever needs
to my car after judo. doing - work and judo.

7:22am
Train from Gillingham
to St Pancras: I
usually get a seat with
a table and a plug for
my laptop. It can be
48 very helpful to get 30
minutes of work done
on the train.

I arrive at St. Pancras station. Luckily I can

8:07PM walk the 10 mins from St Pancras to work 13:00pM Chemistry lecture:
without having to get the tube. Most of my
lectures last one hour and are
related to chemistry in some
I get a lot of way. Numbers of students can
8:25pM emails from range from 150 to 200.
students as a result of the
different administrative
roles that I have. Apart
from enquiries from
new starters, a few
judo-related emails also
come to my work email
address.
 Helping research student in the lab: Training Coaching
14:00pM and supervising of research students can
20:15pM senior session:
range from a 3-month MPharm or MSc Thursday senior sessions are
project to a 3-year PhD project. usually well-attended with a
mix of grades. Both randori
and technical. The session is
15:30pm also open to the nearby RSME
army club players.
Research: Most of
my research focuses
on molecules
produced in Nature
that have activity
against cancer
or drug-resistant
infections like MRSA
or TB.

Leave work: On Mondays and Thursdays I

17:00PM have to leave work at 17:30 and go straight

A DAY IN THE LIFE

to judo to make the start of my junior classes. The only Completion of
week day I dont go straight to the club is Friday.
21:30pM competitive dan
grade theory exam: Completion
After working on train - reviewing drafts of of a 2nd Dan competitive skills
18:06PM exam papers - i arrive in Gillingham and examination for a club player
walk to Medway Park. who recently completed their
points requirement.

18:20pM
Ju-no-kata practice
before junior session:
I left work a bit earlier
today as my partner
Natalie and I have gone 49
a long time since we
last worked on our ju-
no-kata. Thankfully not
as rusty as we thought.

19:00pM
Coaching junior session: Quick after-
Thursday junior sessions
10:00pM judo drink
are generally for 10-16 year and cards with coaches/
olds and often include a players: Coaches and players
wide spectrum of abilities sometimes go for a quick cold
from beginner to national drink after training, often with
standard. Uesful to have a friendly game of cards.
plenty of coaching support
Arrive home:
23:00pM Maybe 30 minutes
Discuss plans for travel to English Pre- in front of the TV before getting
19:30PM cadet/Cadet Open at Breckland Lesiure enough sleep to repeat the
Centre, Thetford. whole process tomorrow!
 CLASSIC SARAH CLARK
MATCH: LUCIE DECOSSE
2006 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - 63KG GOLD MEDAL MATCH
The 2006 European Championships
represented an extremely successful campaign
for British Judo. Craig Fallon won gold at -60kg,
Winston Gordon and Peter Cousins achieved
bronze at -90kg and 100kg respectively, but it
was South Shields born Sarah Clark who put in
perhaps the best performances of her career.
Clark, 28 years-old at the time, left Tampere,
Finland, with gold at -63kg, defeating an array
of elite judoka en route to victory (including the
MATSIDE
says. I had the same song playing in my
headphones the whole day, and it was Daft
Punks: One More Time. Music has always
helped get me ready, but whenever I hear that
song now it brings back good memories.
Anyway, because Id been out injured,
I dont think there was much in the way of
expectation on my shoulders from British Judo
and Judo Scotland. Billy just told me to, go out
there and fight, one fight at a time, but dont

widely-regarded greatest female athlete of this think past that. Its always easy to look back in
generation). This fantastic achievement was hindsight, but I do think the tournament was a
astounding considering the Brit was returning bit of a turning point for me. It was probably a bit
from injury, with little mat time under her belt and of a blessing getting injured, because I actually
short of fitness. felt like I had more energy for not undertaking so
I had actually been out injured in the build much in the build up to the event. It made me
up to the competition Id suffered a knee look at my general training mentality a lot closer
injury, Sarah says. So, because Id tweaked my after Id fought in the competition.
knee, my preparation for the Europeans really The day began with a bang for Sarah, which
wasnt great, and Id been off the judo mat pretty no doubt did wonders for her confidence:
much right up to the actual competition. I think So my first fight wasnt a quick one, and Id
I had three weeks back on the mat beforehand, had a couple of good ding-dongs against the
and that wasnt really with full randori. Portuguese girl in the past. I think we went for
As with all professional sport, an athletes
50 confidence is key, but hard to come by if there
are doubts surrounding their fitness. For Sarah,
entering the 2006 European Championships
- unsure of her physical abilities - presented a
new challenge.
For me, as the type of player that I was,
this was a real struggle Sarah states. I was the
type of player that pushed hard in training and
would look to do extra sessions, so the mental
side of things became very tough due to my
lack of preparation. Billy (Cusack), my coach,
was positive as always, reassuring me that I was
prepared; Ill be fit, Ill be strong and ready to go.
But, yeah, it was still quite mentally challenging.
Having picked-up a bronze at the 2004
European Championships in Bucharest, there
was plenty of incentive for Sarah to improve
her medal haul upon arriving in Finland. With
reassurance from her coach, and her lack of full
fitness reducing expectation, she was able to
simply focus on the fight.
Its funny the things you remember, Clark

four minutes before I scored a waza-ari with an
uchi-mata to get the win.
Next up I had a really awkward match
against a big, tall left-hander. She wasnt the
most technical judo player, but she was a
horrible, horrible fighter to deal with. Though
she was stronger, I did manage to control the
fight well, probably because I was often dealing
with physically stronger girls than me at -63kg.
Because of my genetics and my build, we always
focused on my grip fighting, movement and
technical judo. I ended up becoming very strong
when it came to left-on-left contests just through
lots of practice and attention to grip details.
Having gained two solid victories, Sarah
had made it to the quarter-final stage a big
achievement in its own right but she was
far from finished. Though some of the biggest
names in the sport lay ahead of her, the next
three matches would go down amongst Clarks
career highlights.
So, the quarter-final and the semi-final were
against two girls that went on to become an
Olympic champion and an Olympic medallist,
Sarah says. I fought Urska Zolnir six times,
and beat her once, which was at this European
Championships. She went on to become
Olympic Champion in 2012. Id been working on
the specific movement pattern in training, and I
ended up foot sweeping Zolnir for ippon in less
than 40 seconds. That was a huge confidence
boost going into the semi-final, where I threw
the Dutch girl, Elisabeth Willeboordse, who Id
ONE THING THAT LUCIE
MAYBE HADNT WORKED
ON AT THAT POINT WAS
DEALING WITH A LEFT-
HANDED FIGHT STRATEGY
fought loads of times, for ippon
with harai-goshi.
With a guaranteed medal
now in the bag, Sarah was set
to face the up-and-coming Lucie
Decosse in the final. Decosse
had been crowned European
Champion in 2002, a sign of
things to come. The French
fighter is now a three-time
World Champion, an Olympic
Champion from London 2012
and will go down as one of the
greats. Despite all her future success, there was a
fiery British judoka set to ruin the party in 2006.
Prior to the final Id fought Lucie (Decosse)
twice previously, Sarah explains. She was a
Junior World Champion and already making
lots of noise as a fighter, then I fought her in
2002 at the European teams event, and it was
CLASSIC MATCH
a very close match. Then I did actually fight
her again at the Euros in 2004 and won that
contest. She was another left-hander, and an
absolute nightmare to fight. Obviously, shes
gone on to become the greatest female fighter
of this generation.
One thing that Lucie maybe hadnt worked
on at that point was dealing with a left-handed
fight strategy. She did seem to get the hang of
things after that tournament (laughs). This was
an opponent that Billy and I had worked hard on
tactically and it paid off at this tournament.
In terms of the actual fight, once wed got
through about half the time, I knew I had the
engine to just keep pushing forward. She was 51
starting to build on her attacks, so I had to keep
up the pace and work on parrying what was
coming. It was a very close, tactical match and I
won it by a koka.
Sarahs 2006 crown represents the last
time a British Judoka topped the podium at
a European Championship and she did it in
some style. Gold medals at international level
will always be celebrated, but Clarks run to
gold in Finland, despite her pre-tournament
adversities, make this a standout achievement
we will always remember.
Looking back, it was amazing to be
standing on the podium as the winner
and looking at the calibre of girls that Id
beaten beneath me. It has to be close to
being my top memory as a competitor,
especially when looking at the process I
went through to get the gold and the level
of fighters that I managed to beat. It was a
really good day (laughs).
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