Stephen Kent reports On UEL Judo’s first, medal-winning outing.
On their first competitive outing as a team, UEL Judo exceeded expectations and came away with five medals from seven entrants, including one gold, at the London Universities and Colleges Open Championship at the Docklands SportsDock.
Some of the team had only started training in September when sessions began in UEL’s newly built, £21million SportsDock. Among the newcomers were UEL’s only female competitor, Lucy Hunnisett (under 63kg) and Polish-born Oskar Hatlas (-73kg), who came away with silver medals, both narrowly losing in their finals by ippon (this term applies when contestants are thrown flat on their back: their opponent wins outright).
Sussex judoka Stephen Kent featured in the +100kg category. Having recently returned to training, after taking a two-year sabbatical from the sport, he excelled in his two fights winning both by ippon to take home UEL Judo’s first gold medal.
A third silver medal was won by Helder Fransesco (-73kg), who has also returned to the sport only recently; lastly a bronze medal was won by newcomer Kelly Kenubia (-81kg), who triumphed in his first two fights, only to lose in the semi-final by ippon.
Two more UEL judoka narrowly missed out in their bronze medal fights. The near misses were: the team’s most experienced competitor, Latvian-born Artjom ‘Tim’ Smirnov; and newcomer Youseff Badr El Din.
UEL Judo coach Denny Roberts was pleased with his team’s performance: “Considering for many of them it was their first competition, I thought they did brilliantly, and to come away with a few medals is great for them and the university.”
UEL Sports scholar and African championship bronze medallist Szandra Szogedi, who was instrumental in setting up the UEL Judo team, was also thrilled by the results: “They all did so well. Those who hadn’t competed before loved every minute of the event – I am so proud of them all.”
The team will now focus on the BUCS Judo Championships 2013, which take place in Sheffield on 23-34th February 2013. UEL Judo’s debut performance bodes well for the university’s target of being the best in London for sport by 2015.