Wellington trip brings medal haul

Gisborne gathering: Gisborne Judo Club members (from left) Alex Mackay, Isla Jacobs, Shelby Kirkpatrick, Macy Jacobs, Amelia Gibb and Zara Kirkpatrick showed they belonged on the podium at the North Wellington Open Judo Championships last weekend.Picture supplied

Gisborne Judo Club sent eight competitors to Palmerston North for the North Wellington open championships and they returned with a stack of medals.

The competition was held last weekend and seniors and veterans competed first.

John Mackay dispatched his opposition quickly to win a gold medal in the veterans' over-90-kilograms division.

He followed up by winning another gold in the veterans' open.

Bevan Brooking fought in the senior men's under-73kg division, which was a strong class.

He lost a close semifinal to the eventual winner and came back with a victory in the repechage to pick up a bronze.

Gisborne Judo Club had six competitors in the junior and senior girls' divisions on Sunday.

Alex Mackay followed her father's example by taking a gold medal in the junior girls' under-36kg division.

She then fought in the junior girls' open and picked up a silver.

Amelia Gibb claimed two gold medals by winning both the junior girls' over-36kg division and the open division.

Macy Jacobs and Shelby Kirkpatrick closed out the junior girls' under-24kg weight class by winning gold and silver, respectively.

Isla Jacobs won a gold medal in the junior girls' under-32kg division.

Zara Kirkpatrick won the uncontested senior girls' under-32kg division and stepped up to the under-36kg class and won a silver medal.