British Junior Championships

After my Bronze Medal at the Cadet Nationals I really needed a good result in the Juniors. I knew I would be giving away a few years on most of the fighters but felt I was capable of a placing. I was still well under weight and it is a different feeling not having to cut weight before a big event. I think having to cut a couple of kilos focuses the mind a bit when preparing for a big event. There were seventeen in the -66kg and the competition was run pools to pools. I was in the pool of five and needed to finish in the top two to go through.

Tyler Smith (Ernest Bevin) First Fight

I felt really sharp and won with an arm-lock in the first minute.

Jack Dreher (Ryecroft) Second Fight

Still feeling good won in the first twenty seconds.

Sean Martell (Westcroft) Third Fight

This was quite a hard fight but came through winning with wazari then Ippon to guarantee getting through from the group.

Jacob Moore (SJC Alba) Fourth Fight

I had lost to Jacob at the Welsh a few weeks earlier and I was fighting really well that day. This was an important fight as the winner would finish first in the pool and get a slightly easier second pool. I kept up my attack intensity winning by a Yuko to go through in first place of the pool.

Elliot Thackray (Pudsey) Fifth Fight

I had fought Elliot before in training but when I was much lighter. Was a great result to hold Elliot down and win by Ippon.

Andy Morris (Wirral) Sixth Fight.

This would have been a big fight.  Sadly Andy got injured the fight before and had to pull out.

Aiden Moffat (Tayside) Seventh Fight

This was the last fight of the pool and both of us were through to the final pool. This result would carry over so it was an important fight. Aiden is a great fighter but I was still fighting well.  I scored with a yuko to win the fight but was really hanging on near the end as Aiden pushed forward.

Adam Khalik (Erdington) Eigth Fight

Adam is an awkward left fighter.  It was a great result to beat adam with a good Ko-Soto.

Thomas Johnson (Final Fight)

This would decide the Gold and Silver and it was great to reach this stage. Tom had beat me a few weeks earlier but it had taken seven minutes. This was a good fight but I lost by a wazari.

As one of the youngest in the group Silver was a great Result and big points for the ECC

Results

Junior Ranking List

British Cadet Championships

This was my last year as a Cadet and I was fighting at -66kg as the Nationals was the first event for 2014 ECC qualification.

Bye (First Round)

Ian Roberts (Kettering) Second Round
Not a brilliant start and my timing was well off. I threw Ian for Ippon in the second minute.

James Littler (Garioch) Third Round
Got going a bit better and won with a hold after about 45 seconds.

Leonardo De Muniz (Semi-Final)
When we fought at the Southern two weeks earlier I won quickly.  This fight was a really hard one. It was a close fight that went well into Golden Score.  Leo rarely throws for less than ippon and sadly for me I got caught with easily the biggest and best throw I have ever been thrown with. Only Leo has the power to catch anybody like this......well done Leo

Joshua Awiti-Alcaraz (Enfield) Bronze Medal Fight
Josh is a strong fighter and never easy to fight. It was really difficult to get back up for the Bronze fight and my timing was still well off. I really scraped the win with only one penalty on the scoreboard.

Although not the result I was after it was good to pick up my ninth National Medal and good points towards 2014 ECC qualification

Picture for Paper

I thought I would post this picture. It was taken for the local paper

Southern Area Ranking Event, Worthing

This is the last event before the nationals and my second at -66kg. I was hoping for a good test before Sheffield.

First Round (Bye)

Elliot Short (Oakwood) Second Round

Scored with a yuko and then an armlock within 30 seconds.

Islem Thameur (Tower Hamlets) Semi-Final

Islem is from France and had won his first two fights easily. He was big and strong. I started well and scored what I thought was a good throw after about 30 seconds. No score was given. The fight continued and I scored a yuko. During the next 90 seconds of the fight the senior referee on the care system had a look at the earlier throw and decided to award an ippon. having looked at the throw again it was a good ippon but I can see why it wasn't scored. It was good to see the care system changing the decision.

Leonardo De Muniz (Tower Hamlets) Final

Leo generally throws big and quickly. He is a great fighter. I was really pleased to win by ippon quite quickly. I'm sure I will have many more good fights with Leo.

 Derbyshire Sports Awards 

2013

The Roundhouse, Derby

International Golf Development

Junior Sportsman of the Year

Eric Ham (High Peak - Judo)

After winning the High Peak Junior Sportsman award last month I was shortlisted down to the final two in the Derbyshire Sports Awards. Held at the Roundhouse in Derby. It was a great night and a real shock when I won the award. My award was sponsored by International Golf Development and presented to me by Guy Higton.

International Golf Development

Being presented with my Award

Pictured with my category sponsor - Guy Higton

The last twelve months have been quite eventful to say the least.

2102 Cadet British Championships Gold Medal,

2013 Cadet British Championships Silver Medal,

2013 Junior British Championships Silver Medal (as the youngest in the group), 

A place on the 2013 Junior British Squad,

Selected for England at the Czech European. Cadet Cup, 

Selected for Great Britain at the European Cadet Championships.

Started training at the new Centre of Excellence at Walsall

Knee Operation and three months off,

High Peak Junior Sportsman of the Year 2013,

Derbyshire Junior Sportsman of the Year 2013,

All the category winners

Me and Colin Jackson

 Winning this award finishes off a great year.  

One more big result at the Nationals in three weeks is all that is needed now.

Welsh Open, Swansea

I made the move up to -66 at the Welsh. Although I can make -60 this will be my weight next year so I am moving up now.

CADET SECTION

First Round (Bye)

Remi Dorey (Guernsey Judo) Second Round

My first fight at -66kg was over in 20 seconds winning with a strangle

Andrew Serdega (Kingsley School) Semi-Final

Andrew (Andrejs) is from Latvia (born 1996) and has two Silver Medals at their National Championships. He has represented Latvia at European Cups.  He had also beat Aiden Moffat and George Cullum (Twice) last year so I was expecting a bit of a beating. Far from it.  It looks like the move up to -66 could be a good one. I threw for a wazari and felt in control for most of the fight.  This was a really really good win for me.

Harry Lovell-Hewitt (Stroud) Final

Harry is a good fighter but my good form continued and I won with some good ashi-waza about a minute into the fight.

JUNIOR SECTION

This was going to be a hard group.  Competing up at -66 is hard enough at Cadet but at Juniors its another thing.

Alec Ranford (Hardy Spicer) First Round

My first fight at Junior -66 was as good as my first at Cadet. I won with drop morote after about 30 seconds

Joe Dallard (Midsomer Norton) Second Round

I continued my good form into the second fight and won with an armlock.

Tom Johnson (Yoshin Ryu)

Tom is two years older than me and one of the best Junior -66 fighters and again I expected to get beat quite quickly. I nearly caught Tom with my reverse Seio-nage but over rotated. It was a great fight which lasted nearly seven minutes.  I was dead by then and went over easily from a good drop attack from Tom.

Jacob Moore (Judo Scotland)

Jacob is three years older than me and I was knackered by now. I started well but struggled with his style and good uchi-mata. I made a good left seoi-nage attack but left my neck open and lost by a strangle.

This was still a great performance

SENIOR SECTION

I wasn't really intending on entering the senior section after moving up to -66 but had entered at the lighter weight. I expected not to do very well

Jonathon Dewar (Judo Scotland)

I felt strong and had a great battle with Jonathon. I was only a penalty down right up to the last seven seconds. I had to come forward and got caught and arm-locked right at the very end.

Stuart Pateman (Erdington)

This was another great fight and I was pretty tired by now.  I went a penalty up early on and managed to hold on for the remainder of the five minute contest. This certainly was my best win to date.

Tal Almog (Israel)

Tal was super strong and attacked me everywhere.  it was still a good fight before getting caught in the third minute.

Overall I had ten fights over the weekend with some great wins and performances in defeat. I start at Walsall on the AASE next week and expect to see good gains very quick.

High Peak Sports Awards

Last night I was presented with my High Peak Junior Sportsman of the Year award.  It was presented by the leader of the Council, Caitlin Bisknell. It was great to again receive the award. It has been a year of ups and downs but I hope to finish in style at this years Nationals in December.

Derbyshire Sports Awards - Shortlisted

I got confirmation today that I have been shortlisted in the final two for the Derbyshire Junior Sportsman of the Year Category.  I now have to attend the awards night next month. I have won the High Peak award four times but this is the first time I have made it through to the County Awards.

Northern Area Senior Ranking Event

Was not expecting much in the Senior event. Didn't feel good today.

Dominic Nelson (Bradley Stoke) First Fight

Threw Dom for Ippon with drop Morote.

Danny Powell (Wolverhampton) Second Fight

Danny was still fighting well having beat Pete Miles in the final of the Cadet competition. The fight went all the way but I still lost by a Yuko.

Wade Roll (Budokwai) Bronze Fight

I was looking for a good win to give me some confidence back but Wade was disqualified for a leg grab early in the fight.

Northern Area Cadet Ranking

Connor Eaton (Newburn) First Fight

Got off to a good start winning with an armlock in the first twenty seconds

Danny Powell (Volverhampton) Second Fight

Danny was fighting well today and he threw me for ippon after about two minutes. 

Alistair Sheppard (Comberton)

Could tell I was not on form today. Struggled to control the fight. Was pleased to win with choke...eventually.

Warsaw International, Poland

Dariusz Serwaczak (Poland) First Fight

I made quite a good start to the competition winning with my Juji in the first minute

Luka Jankovic (Slovenia)

Followed on well from my first fight I won with a Yuko and then an armlock I had been working on for a few weeks.  

Karol Barczyk (Poland) Third Fight

Got dominated on the ground for once. he was really strong. Lost to a sangaku strangle. Ref didnt see me tapping and I went out 

Andrea Buiarov (Russia) Fourth Fight

Was allowed to fight on as the senior referee said the referee didnt see me tap out before I went unconcious. Strange decision but was happy to get on and dominate the fight against a good Russiam winning with Ko-Uchi gari for Ippon

Vlad Surov (Belarus) Fifth Fight

Fought well and was leading on penalties.  I got sloppy near the edge and got thrown for Ippon

All in all I was quite pleased with the competition.  I had a really good training camp

Heart of England Seniors

Bye (First Round)

Craig McColl (SJC  Alba) Second Round
It was a tough fight winning with O-Uchi Gari for Wazari and Morote for Ippon

George Goldsmith (Tonbridge) Semi-Final
George caught me sweet for ippon

Matthew Neal (Hull) Bronze Fight
Came back well beating Matthew with a hold.  was pleased with another medal in a senior event.

Heart of England Cadets

Bye (First Round)

Oliver Harris (Osaka) Second Round
Threw Oliver with drop Sode for Ippon

Harry Mustard (Sportif) Third Round
Arm-locked Harry within twenty seconds for Ippon.

Tommy Almond (Moberly) Semi-Final
Threw Tommy for Ippon with O-Soto Gari and a place in the Final

Kieran Gehlan
It was a difficult fight against Kieran and I struggled with his height. I was thrown for ippon and had to settle for Silver.

NHC Cadet Ranking Event

???? (First Fight)
Won with Ippon throw

Adam Bolwell (Bath) Second Fight
Nice transition again from a foot sweep into juji

???? Semi-Final
Won with Ippon

Danny Powell (Wolverhampton) Final
Tough fight as expected and was pleased to win with a Yuko

Eastern Area Senior Ranking Event

Jordan Knight (Bradley Stoke) First Fight
Was a good start to my first Senior Competition. Threw for Ippon with drop Sode in the first minute.

Sam Hall (Ryecroft) Second Fight
I'd never fought Sam in competition before.  It was a quick attacking fight with me catching Sam for wazari before being thrown for Ippon.

Jake Barker (Bishop Stortford) Semi-Final 
I was really fighting well winning with Juji in the first minute.

Sam Hall (Ryecroft) Final
Was a really good fight and I was pleased with how I fought Sam today.  Only lost very late in the fight

Eastern Area Cadet Ranking Event

I was on form today winning all my fights well.

Tommy Almond (Moberly) First Fight
Good transition again winning with juji within the first minute.

Marcin Dziembina (Coventry) Second Fight
Again won with an arm-lock after about a minute.

Lucasz Dziemba (Coventry) Semi-Final
Won with a sweet Uchi-Mata after 45 seconds

Tommy Almond (Moberly) Final
It was quite a tough final against Tommy. Won in the end with a wazari and then ippon throw.

Western Area Open

This was my second event at my new weight of -60kg

First Round BYE

David Saran (Ernest Bevin) Second Round

After a first round bye I was keen to get started .  It was a quick win in less than 20 seconds.

Chris Edwards (Kingsley School) Semi-Final

Chris was really on form today beating Harry Lovell-Hewitt in the previous round. It was a good tough fight which I won with an arm-lock in the third minute.

Abdurahman Chaatouf (Ernest Bevin) Final

This was going to be a really tough final. We had both won all our fights with ippons so far. I had never fought Abdurahman before but have watched him very closely and he is a very impressive fighter who throws big. This brought the best in me and my transition was bang on as usual. I would have won in the first thirty seconds but for some bad refereeing. I pounced on a weak attack in the second minute winning with another arm-lock. This was a good win.

Results

Warsaw Judo Open

I would like to recommend a competition to anybody who is interested. This year the Warsaw Judo Open will take place on the last weekend of September followed by a strong training camp.  This is a great event with first class organisation and I have been many times. The competition venue is one of the most impressive around. Details are below.  If you need any advice please ask.

Warsaw Open 2013

London Open

It was great to eventually move up to the -60kg weight group but this group will be a far tougher one than the -55kg. Most of the top fighters are all 1997 which will make qualification for next years events a very tough prospect.

First Round Bye

Brandon Ortega Casey (Moberly) Second Round

My transition was bang on for this first fight and I won with a strangle within the first minute.

Andy Morris (Wirral) Semi-Final

Andy is ranked number three on the GB rankings and is very awkward.  This was a long tough fight which I won with a Wazari.

Danny Powell (Wolverhampton) Final

It has been a long time since I had fought Danny in competition.  Danny is ranked number two in GB. This was a very close fight with no scores right up to the last five seconds.  I made a big mistake stopping fighting just outside the area with Dan on his knees.  I presumed the referee would call Matte and stopped fighting...........Big Big mistake that I should not make as Danny pounced with a Ko-Uchi gari to score Yuko.

This was a good result at my first -60 event and I look forward to some great battles over the next twelve months with some very strong fighters.

Results

National Team Championships

I was picked to represent the North West at this years National Team Championships held in Walsall.

I was selected at -60kg alongside Andy Morris from the Wirral. I wasn't able to make -55kg so it was great to be able to move up and also get some fights.

We were up against the Midlands, Northern Area and the Western Area in our pool.  Andy fought against the Western Area where we scraped home on points after drawing the match 5-5. I fought against Jack Curry in the next match-up against the Northern Area with us winning 7-2. We were then up against the Midlands Area in our last group match which we lost 7-2.

In the Semi-Final we lost to the impressive Scottish team who went on to retain their title. I had a great fight against Neil Macdonald

European Cadet Championships, Tallinn, Estonia

2013 ECC Venue

Last weekend I was selected to represent Great Britain at the European Cadet Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. I was in a team of seventeen players who had been selected to travel to Tallinn.

Great Britain Team in Tallinn

Final Results

Ofek Shani (Israel) First Fight

My first fight was against a strong fighter from Israel. Ofek was ranked number 12 for the event and had won a Silver Medal at the European Cup in Portugal. This was a hard fight but I felt in control for most of it and was really pleased to win by wazari.

Denis Vieru (Moldova) Second Fight

I needed to win this fight to put me into the repecharge and at least a seventh place finish. I had expected to be fighting the number fifth seed from Ukraine who had beaten me at the CZE cup earlier in the year but Denis had beaten him easily, and on paper I had a much easier task. It wasn't the best fight I had fought and it was a very dodgy penalty for not attacking only ten seconds after a very good attack. Only losing by one penalty was very frustrating.

After a good first fight and a very close second I can take heart from a good performance. I will now move straight up to -60kg and prepare for the Nationals in December.

From my first fight against Ofek Shani

European Cadet Championships

I received the new today that I had been selected to represent Great Britain at next months European Cadet Championships in Estonia. This is great news after the last few months.

British Team

Mars Milk Fund

Today I received news that I had been awarded a £300 Mars Milk fuel award. Thanks to everybody who voted for me. This will help towards my training and competition costs over the next few months.

European Cadet Cup, Teplice, Czech Republic

This was my first competition back after injuring my knee eleven weeks ago.  After a hard week training at Dartford I seem to be back to speed quite quickly. The Czech Cadet Cup was the biggest European Cup so far and with most of Europes best fighters attending it was going to be a tough event.

Bye (First Round)

Flavio Di Marca (Belgium) First Fight

Flavio is a great Belgium fighter who has medaled in European cups before as well as a good silver medal in Bremen last year where he beat the number one Japanese fighter and the KAZ who won Romania Cadet Cup last year. It was a great start to the contest and I felt good . My transition was again working well and I won the fight with a strangle to get through to the next round.

Roy Koffiberg (The Netherlands) Second Fight

Roy is one of the top group of fighters they have at -55kg. They have the strongest group of fighters out of any country at this weight. I have only fought Roy in training and he is fast and technically excellent. Roy got the Silver medal in this event last year. I think I showed him far to much respect and was given a judo lesson. I know that I can do much better against him

Dominik Jurkovic (Croatia) Third Fight

Roy won his next fight which put me back in the competition. I was fast out for this next fight and jumped on a weak attack winning after arm locking Dominik.

Kiril Peev (Bulgaria) Fourth Fight

Kiril is a top fighter with many good victories behind him. It was a very hard fight but I got through to the next round winning with another arm lock.

Karo Marandain (Ukraine) Fifth Fight

Karo had recently won Silver medal at the Ukraine European Cup but I gave him a really tough fight. I was still fighting really well and nearly caught Karo with a couple of armlocks. It was a close fight that I lost on a dubious yuko right near the very end.

I was really pleased with my seventh place after such a long lay off.  I hope I have done enough to be selected for the ECC in June

Results: CZE European Cup

This weekend is the Czech European Cadet Cup. I am in a team of eighteen selected to represent England at the event. I have no great expectations after nine weeks off the mat, but it will be great to compete at this high level again. CZE is also one of the hard Top Ranking Cups on the calender. Hopefully a good performance here will help towards my chances with selection for the European Cadet Championships in June.

If you want to keep up with the draw and hopefully a live feed from the event then keep looking on this link.

Update:
An update on the EJU website says this will be the largest cadet European Cup ever. There are 20% more entries than any other event with over 800 judo players from 37 different countries already entered.

CZE Cadet Cup

Black Belt

After nine weeks off and then five days hard training I went straight to Coventry to try and get the remaining 37 points I needed for my black belt. There were lots of 1st Kyu's at the grading all older and heavier than me.  Age, weight and strength mean very little in Judo and  a skilled smaller fighter should be able to defeat bigger stronger opponents. This I did with ease winning with five ippons and with five different techniques.  It is nice to get my Black Belt at only 15 especially as I only weigh 55kg.

European Championship Preparation Camp & ETD Camp

This weekend I was invited to attend the Senior European training camp as a training partner.  Mainly I was there to train with and compete against Connie Ramsay from Scotland.  We had lots of great fights throughout the week.  It was good to be around the senior squad whilst they prepared for the Europeans. Later in the week was the ETD camp. Although I had been off for nine weeks it didn't take long for me to get back to full fitness and everything seemed to click back into place quite quickly.

England Selection for CZE European Cup

I was pleased to be selected for the Czech European Cadet Cup in April.  Hopefully I will be fit to compete

Cadet Cup Selections

Knee Injury

In the eleven years I have been doing Judo this injury will keep me off the mat longer than any other.  I have torn my cartilage in the very last second of my fight with Kieran.  I am safe in the ECC and EYOF ranking list at number two so its job done and at least I can afford to miss the North West age bands. I will have to miss this as well as the ONST and ETD camps in Kendal.  I also doubt I will be fit for the European Cadet Cup in Ukraine in five weeks time as I am in a lot of pain and on crutches and in a knee brace?

Keep up with my knee recovery: Knee Rehab

Midlands Under 21

This weekend was the Midlands area Ranking Event.  It is the third of the four ranking events for the ECC and EYOF selection.  Only players finishing in the top 2 after these events have a chance of being selected. I was in second place behind Pete Miles after losing to him in both the British Cadet and Junior Championship finals. Another good result today would see me safe in the number two position

Tom Ingram (South Brent)

I won my first fight with some good transition beating Tom with an Arm-Lock.

Danny Irving (Ford)

Danny has been a top fighter for years but has had a lot of time off through injury.  It was still a hard fight but like my first fight I won with an Armlock

Kieran Davin (Moberly)

I have lots of good fights with Kieran for many years.  This fight went right to the last second when I threw for a yuko. I landed funny on my knee and straight away I knew it was a bad injury. There was only one second left so I was able to stand up for it and got through to the final.

I was unable to even stand up properly so could not fight in the final against Pete (again) but another Silver medal means good points on the ranking list

British Junior Squad

I was pleased to receive a letter today from the BJA confirming my selection onto the British Junior Squad for 2013. Only the top four on the Junior ranking list form the Junior Squad but after my Silver Medal at the Junior Nationals I was Co-Opted onto the squad. It was a great competition as I was the youngest in the event.

British Junior Squad 2013

British Junior Championships 2013

After my Silver at the Cadet Nationals I had entered the Junior Nationals. This was going to be far harder than the week before as I was the youngest fighter by at least six months and the only 1997 player who had entered.  Most players in the group were 2/3/4 years older than I was. With the form I was in anything could happen.

Dominic Reilly (Sportif) First Fight
I had beaten Dominic in the final of last years Nationals and was pleased to start the competition well again winning with a strangle after some more good transition.

Jack Laidlaw (Danderhall) Second Fight
Jack was a difficult fighter and I had to rely on three penalties to get through this round.

Renz Vallejera (Tora Judo Kai) Semi-Final
This was the first time I had fought Renz  who was the number one seed for this competition. I was fighting better and knew I needed to keep off his uchi-mata I scored with a yuko before winning with a wazari late on in the fight.

This meant as the youngest fighter in the group I had reached yet another British Championship Final. In the same final as the cadet competition I would again be up against Peter Miles from Bradley Stoke.

Peter Miles (Bradley Stoke) Final
Unlike last week I tried to do more of my own judo and it was a much closer final. Although the result was the same I only lost by a yuko and will take more confidence into the next fight with Pete.

Link to the Results

Me & Pete in the Final

British Cadet Championships 2013

After a hard couple of months training I was ready for the British Championships.  This year was going to be the toughest yet and I was going for my fourth title in a row. I had moved up to the -55kg weight group where Peter Miles was also going for 4 in a row so was really expecting a very tough day.

Scott Thomson (Danderhall) Second Round

As a top seed I received a bye first round and was then up against a fighter I had never faced before. This was the start I wanted with me winning by ippon in 25 seconds.  As usual I found top form for the big competition.

Freddy Hendy (Polkyth) Third Round

Freddy is a strong fighter and had won the Pre-Cadet Nationals in October.  The last time we fought I had struggled to beat him.  Today was different, and with a wazari and an ippon within 36 seconds, I was in the semi-final.

Billy Goldsmith (JSC) Semi-Final

Billy is a top fighter who I had only fought in training. I had to control the fight early and was pleased to score a wazari before ending the contest with a strangle. I was now in my sixth final in a row at the Nationals.

Peter Miles (Bradley Stoke) Final

I knew this was going to be a hard fight and had planned my tactics beforehand.  Sadly so had Pete!!! Many say it was a good fight but in reality Pete was all over me.  Silver medal was what I deserved but certainly a great result for me.

I was in my sixth National final in a row and I have now won 3 Gold and 3 Silver....hard work does pay off.

Link to Results

Koksjide ETD Training Camp

No sooner was Christmas over and I was back on the mat. We went over to Belgium with the ETD squad for the Koksjide Training Camp.  It was a tough camp and only a week before the Cadet Nationals so it was pleasing to return with no injuries.