Hancocks and Hobby strike gold (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Hancocks and Hobby strike gold

5:00pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in Sport

PLAYERS Samurai Judo Club claimed a clutch of medals at the Welsh Open Championships in Cardiff.

Darcie Hancocks and Becky Hobby both struck gold at junior level.

Hancocks, who has already won titles at both the London International and West of England Open this year, started in devastating style by defeating the leading Welsh player in her category with a huge throw after just nine seconds.

Opponents from Bristol and then Liverpool were dispatched with equal ease before the Samurai starlet disposed of her rival from Sussex in the final, taking just 20 seconds to secure top prize.

Hobby began nervously before beating her Yorkshire based opponent in the opening round.

That was followed by impressive wins over rivals from Scotland and East of England before Hobby confronted a girl from Maesteg in the final.

This was to prove by far Hobby’s toughest challenge and after two minutes she was staring defeat in the face being two scores down and seemingly going nowhere.

Out of the blue, the Samurai player launched a fantastic attack which caught her Welsh rival out, to claim maximum points and clinch her first major title in the process.