Crawley judo club return in style at English Closed Championships

It’s been 18 months since judo competitions in Great Britain were forced to stop but the team were determined to come back strongly.

The pre-cadet (U15) boys started the day with Dan Grishin, u46kg, storming through to take the title of English champion.

Sam Tang and Tyler Hill, both competing in the u50kg group, won all of their early contests to see an all Kin Ryu final with Sam coming out on top.

Peter Crawford, in u66kg, continued the winning streak to the title.

In the pre-cadet girls Zara Howe moved up a weight to u36kg but still won bronze.

Lucy Robinson, u48kg, won all her early fights to take silver in the final.

The last pre-cadet to fight was Charlotte Crawford in the u57kg. She was unable to medal on this occasion.

In the cadets (U18) Aidan Tang and Louis Rothwell, u55kg, stepped up first. Louis lost in the recharge to finish seventh with his opponent moving forward to meet Aidan in the bronze medal fight.

After a close battle it was Aidan who came through to take the bronze.

In u60kg Declan Knight made it through to the final to take silver. Final cadet boy, Josh Browning in u73kg, was unable to progress to the medal fights.

In the cadet girls Mia Goode, u63kg, finished seventh, while Rhian Hooker, u70kg, was unable to make it to the medal fights.

In the +70kg Bianca Plesa finished the day on a high, winning a bronze.