Motivated Haywood on song in the sun

1:00pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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NICOLA Haywood took a bronze medal for Samurai Judo Club for the second year running at the Alicante International Open in Spain.

The twenty year-old finished top of her pool with some very good wins and looked set for a place in the final, before she was countered while trying an attack in the semi-final.

Despite the set back Haywood responded by winning the play-offs for bronze.

Sarah Biles, 15, put up an impressive performance to take fifth place in her weight category, the next one up from Haywood, which included a spectacular demolition of Gallicia’s best black belt.

Ben Newbury added another fifth place for the Samurai in the under-90 kilograms men’s event.

Students from Samurai had to contend with searing heat in the training camp as well as a large number of national or international level black belts The Samurai squad all did well, with Biles in particular holding her own against the majority of the top Spanish fighters, a considerable achievement at her age.

Samurai’s star fighter Kate Walker has been boosted by the confirmation that she has been selected as the British representative in her weight class, under-63kg, at the Junior World Championships and Junior European Championships in the autumn.

Kelly Edwards’ selection for both events in the under-48kg weight class, the lightest category, was also confirmed.

At a massive training camp in Germany, Walker defeated some of the best under-20s fighters in Europe.

Anyone wanting more details about the club and its activities can telephone 0776 1122977 or visit www.samurai.org.uk