Having recently returned from Australia, where she won gold at the national secondary school champs and silver at the Queensland state champs, Amelia won gold in the senior girls’ +63kg and open classes, gold in the cadet women’s -70kg class and silver in the cadet women’s open class.
Younger sister Sarah won gold in the junior girls’ +36kg and open categories.
Alex MacKay was also in the medals. She picked up gold in the senior girls’ -63kg and cadet women’s -63kg (uncontested) and was beaten by Amelia Gibbs in the senior girls’ open final. Sixteen competitors fought in the open division.
King said there was reference to the club’s history of producing high-quality female judoka.
“They were saying, ‘You guys have always got talented females coming through’.”
One of the best of those, Paris Olympian Sydnee Andrews, is back home for several months and went to Rotorua with the Gisborne crew. She did not compete but was on hand to give out medals, and she and fellow Olympian Moira Koster were presented with their Olympic pins in a special ceremony.
Long-time club member Bevan Brooking achieved a rare feat in his double gold medal-winning performance (-73kg, open titles) in the veteran men’s 30-39 years age group.
It gave him national titles in junior, senior and veteran categories over his career. The club acknowledges this on its honours board – a bronze star for vets, silver for juniors and gold for seniors – and Brooking joins Kane Affleck and former member Kiki Velloza in having completed that treble.
King said Lucas Nicol was a surprise package in the senior boys’ -66kg class.
“He’s been with us for a few years but has not done a lot of tournaments ... but he wiped them in winning gold. He blew everyone away.”
Malachi Whitley won the senior boys’ -40kg title, beating clubmate Liam Nicol in the final.
The Gibb sisters, Lucas and Whitley all became first-time New Zealand title winners, meaning first-time appearances on the honours board.
Others to strike gold were Ella Kelso (senior women’s -70kg); Johan Jacobs (40-49yrs -73kg) and Gary McKenzie (50-59yrs -81kg – uncontested).
King said it was great to see some of the dads and those who help him coach taking part in the veterans’ age groups.
He put their overall success down to an excellent build-up and “sparking” at the right time.
GJC has a membership that ranges from 80 to 100 and runs four training nights a week.
It has produced a long list of national champions and New Zealand representatives up to Olympic Games level – Andrews being the latest of those.
Gisborne results from nationals
JUNIOR GIRLS
+36kg: Sarah Gibb gold
Open: Sarah Gibb gold.
JUNIOR BOYS
-32kg: Tanner Feisst silver.
+45kg: James McKenzie silver
Open: James McKenzie bronze.
-45kg: Kees Beets bronze.
SENIOR GIRLS
-36kg: Ivy Fenwick bronze.
-63kg: Alex MacKay gold.
+63kg: Amelia Gibb gold.
Open: Amelia Gibb gold; Alex MacKay silver.
SENIOR BOYS
-40kg: Malachi Whitley gold; Liam Nicol silver.
-66kg: Lucas Nicol gold.
CADET WOMEN
-63kg: Alex MacKay gold (uncontested).
-70kg: Amelia Gibb gold.
Open: Amelia Gibb silver.
SENIOR WOMEN
-70kg: Ella Kelso gold.
VETERAN MEN
30-39yrs, -73kg: Bevan Brooking gold.
30-39yrs, open: Bevan Brooking gold.
40-49yrs, -73kg: Johan Jacobs gold.
Open: Aaron MacDougall bronze.
50-59yrs, -81kg: Gary McKenzie gold (uncontested).
50-59yrs, +90kg: John MacKay bronze.
50-59yrs, open: John MacKay bronze.
