JOSH Walker and Isaac Sobolewski shone at the Samurai Judo Club’s orange and under open championships with gold medals.

Just over a hundred players, from twenty-four different clubs from all over the country entered the event, held at the club’s purpose-built premises at Zortech Avenue.

Josh Walker was the first Samurai to compete, in the boys lower grades section and he won all three of his contests by maximum points to take the gold medal.

Harrison Flello took a bronze in the next weight category, winning the bronze play-off against a Redditch player, whilst Alex Spencer also won bronze in the weight group above.

Isaac Sobolewski, in his first competition, got into the final where he gained an early high score and then with just seconds to go gained another high score to make it maximum points and the gold medal.

Matt Burford fought well in the next category to gain a bronze, and then Dominic Jones, in his first competition, also took bronze.

The next category saw Mateo Allen and Luke Jahromi meet in the semi-final. Luke won but lost to a much more experienced player from Milton Keynes in the final, whilst Mateo defeated a Kettering player for the bronze.

Harley White was the last of the Samurai lower grade boys to compete, he reached the semi-final before losing to a higher grade from Solihull, but then defeated a Birmingham player for the bronze.

In the girls lower grades, Brook Collins was making her competition debut and overcame her nerves to win a deserved bronze. Katy Jennings defeated a Worcester player for bronze and Meghann O’Sullivan made it three bronzes for the girls lower grades in her category.

In the boys higher grades, Zach Main was competing in the higher grades section for the first time and despite a loss against a Nottingham player in the semi-final did well to win bronze. Dillon Walker did well to defeat a Halesowen player and win the bronze in the next weight group. Luke Mole added another bronze in the next weight category and then Stuey Main won bronze in the category above that.

The last two Samurai higher grade boys to compete were Martin Allen and Spencer Benton, both in the same category. Martin won the semi-final but went on to lose the final whilst Spencer got the bronze.

Lily and Bonnie Deeming-Lane were in the same category, Lily won three contests to take the one bronze whilst younger sister Bonnie matched her in medals by taking the other bronze.

Another second generation Samurai was the last player to compete. Niya White is the daughter of long-time Samurai black belt and former British National medalist Sarah White (formerly Wilson) and British Army Champion Steve White, who now helps coaching the lower intermediate junior session at the club. Although a novice in her first competition, she was put with the higher grades because of a shortage of older girls in the lower grades section, and impressed to win a bronze.