SAMURAI starlet Sarah Biles has seen her progress recognised after being selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior European Championships in Belgium.

Biles is only the second player from Worcestershire to be picked for the under-20s tournament and follows in the footsteps of clubmate Kate Walker.

Only 12 players in total from all over Britain made the team for the event, with just one other Midlands fighter, from Birmingham’s Lordswood club, being chosen.

Biles’ selection for the tournament confirms her place as the county's second most successful judo star of all time.

She caught the eye this year by bagging medals in Belgium, Holland, Spain and Lithuania, has amassed over 50 gold medals in her judo career and is a second level black belt.

Biles is also already over half way to her third level, which she cannot hold until she turns 20-years-old.

In addition to her contest skills, she is a successful kata player, a senior referee and senior table official, a former British Young Official Of The Year, and assists with coaching the junior beginners and sometimes the experienced juniors at the club.

Biles maintained her excellent form at the German Open, where she defeated a strong German player, who came fifth at the European Cadet Championships in the first round before eventually losing to the Spanish number one in a tight contest in the second round.

The Spanish player reached the quarter-final before being eliminated, which unfortunately eliminated Biles as those who lose to semi-finalists are brought back into the repechage.

However, in the training camp during the next two days she avenged the defeat by repeatedly defeating her Spanish opponent.

In the previous week, Biles was in Spain for the Alicante under-23s International, where she took bronze, and took part in a week-long training camp.

The dedicated Samurai member also spent this week at another training camp.

Samurai head coach Andrew Haffner said: “Sarah works really hard at her training, but also spends huge amounts of time at the club helping the youngsters. You get out of all sport what you put into it and she deserves every bit of success she gets.”

Meanwhile, Samurai have some new kata stars after the partnership of Frankie Marston and Brendan Crummy took gold at the Clive Taylor Memorial Kata Championships, which is the Midlands Open event.

Brothers Arran and Rory Gulliver added the silver in the same category, the junior kata of throws, while Crummy was also in the seniors, this time partnering Rob Alloway as they took silver in the same kata.

For details about starting judo or information about the club can call Haffner on 07761 122977 or visit www.samurai.org.uk