Judo club contingent small but successful

MEDALLISTS: Gisborne Judo Club had a small, successful group at the national championships. Back (from left) are: Jason King (coach), Ella Kelso, Sydnee Andrews, Bevan Brooking, Andrew Reid and Caleb Jones-King. Front: Rubi Hart, Solomon O’Connor, Quaydon Chaffey-Kora and Oakley Brown-Terekia. Absent: Esther (Kiki) Reedy Velloza and Thomas Mackenzie. Picture by Liam Clayton

GISBORNE Judo Club members returned from the national championships in Wellington with 16 medals, eight of them gold.

Club member Bevan Brooking came home with more than the senior men’s under-73-kilogram gold medal.

After an examination on the first day of the championships, Brooking attained his third-dan ranking, a milestone in his judo career.

Club members brought back eight national titles (plus one that was uncontested), three silver medals and five bronze.

Head coach Jason King said he was “very happy” that the club’s 12-member team covered every age group in the tournament and achieved medals.

The team weren’t about quantity, but about quality, he said.

On the first day of competition, the masters led from the front. Andrew Reid took gold in the young masters’ division and coach Esther (Kiki) Reedy Velloza won gold in the grand masters’ division.

They were followed up by Brooking (senior men’s u73kg), Sydnee Andrews (junior women’s over-78kg) and Thomas Mackenzie (junior men’s u81kg) winning all their fights for gold.

On the second day, the juniors and cadets shone. Gold medals went to Oakley Brown-Terekia (junior boys’ over-45kg and junior boys’ open) and Quaydon Chaffey-Kora (junior boys’ u40kg).

Results Esther (Kiki) Reedy Velloza: grand masters, gold.

Andrew Reid: young masters, gold.

Bevan Brooking: senior men, under-73kg, gold.

Thomas Mackenzie: junior men, u81kg, gold; cadet men, u81kg, silver.

Caleb Jones-King: junior men, u81kg, bronze; junior men, open, bronze.

Solomon O’Connor: senior boys, u32kg, bronze.

Quaydon Chaffey-Kora: junior boys, u40kg, gold;

junior boys, open, silver.

Oakley Brown-Terekia: junior boys, over-45kg, gold; junior boys, open, gold.

Sydnee Andrews: junior women, over-78kg, gold; cadet women, over-78kg, uncontested gold; cadet women, open, silver.

Ella Kelso: senior girls, u52kg, bronze.

Rubi Hart: senior girls, u44kg, bronze.