NZ reps have hold on youth

TO THE MAT: Wanganui Judo Club's Kasey Watson tries to flip New Zealand representative Samuel Rosser during their sparring session at Springvale Stadium on Saturday.PHOTOS/LEWIS GARDNER 140215WCLGJUDO3

THERE was a lot to learn for the young generation of New Zealand judo competitors from their role models who have been to the world stage when they sparred each other in Wanganui on Saturday.

The national training camp was hosted by the Wanganui Judo Club in Springvale Stadium, as a hit-out for a number of New Zealand's senior representatives ahead of the Oceania tournament in New Caledonia in April.

Wanganui club coach Wayne Watson said 96 fighters attended from Auckland, Christchurch, Gisborne, Napier and other centres.

The feedback they gave was one of the best sessions they could have, he said.

"There was some pretty sore bodies because the team going to the Oceania's was training and they took the extra effort."

The mats were spread out from one end of the No1 basketball court to the other, with fighters rotating on and off for sparring sessions.

Some, like Wanganui's Kasey Watson, would take on Commonwealth Games competitor Sam Rosser, despite a considerable weight disadvantage.

Athletes who had attended the Commonwealth and Olympic Games also sat the cadets (age 15-17) down for talks on training and preparing for the big events.

"It was an eye-opener for those young ones to see what was involved," said Watson.

The Wanganui club's Kasey Watson and Aiden Voice, along with Wanganui City College Judo Club's Antoine Rahier and Finn Brown, have qualified for Oceania through their performances at last year's national competition.