The Alkmaar International was a first event abroad for many of the Moberly Stars and it was quite an event. Split into 10 categories of competitors from Holland, Belgium, Germany, Sweden among others, the level of judo was very high.
Moberly’s youngest competitors Luca and Myeisha produced outstanding performances to win bronzes in the u38k and u36k respectively in the minors.
The pre-cadet groups were among the largest and Luan won a bronze in the u55k with 4 straight wins after losing his first contest. Oliver Almond (u38k) and Dinari and Alex (u50k) were very unlucky not to win a bronzes after 5 hard fought contest each. While Oliver Lee (u46k), Liam (u38k) and Maddie (u52k) enjoyed a great experience.
In the older category, Michael won a great silver in the u66k Juniors.
However, Reuel (u66k Cadet) and Tyrese (u73k Junior) were both forced to pull out of the event due to the team having to leave the venue to catch the train home! Both were well on the way to medals but we had to leave…!!
#Moberlyjudo

It was a tough weekend for the Moberly stars at the NHC ranking event. A new venue attracting some of the best young talent in the country. With the new age bands, it was a steep learning curve for the 1st year pre-cadets and cadets.

For 2nd year pre-cadets Kamal and Kyle competing in a heavier category it was business as usual as they both again dominated to take gold and silver in the u46k. Luan also moved to a heavier category and also won gold at u55k. Omar returned to competition after a 10 month break to win bronze in the u38k. Maddie was in great form to also claim a bronze in her new u52k group.
1st year pre-cadets Oliver Almond and Liam both just missed the medals at u38k and u42k respectively, while Ali, Corey, and 1st year cadets, Alex, Oliver Lee, Dinari, Daniel, Nelson and Michael Osher had a very tough introduction to the cadets. Amel was extremely unlucky to miss out in the u57k cadets.
On day two Myeisha won gold in her new u36k minors, but Luca just missed out on a bronze at u38k. Max returned to competition after a break to win silver at u60k Juniors, while Reuel won a bronze at u73k, with Micheal Mensah just missing the medals. Finally, Masters competitor Richard Kaslo won silver in the u90k.

Well done to Maddie, who fought at the Heart of England championships in Walsall. Winning an excellent silver was just rewards for her hard work and determination.
#Moberlyjudo

Moberly Star John Jayne won Bronze in the Junior European Cup last weekend in Prague, Czech Republic. He won the quarter final against Italy by “two ippons” in the sense that he through the boy for ippon in the first 15 seconds, but as the boy landed in a bridge, the referee hesitated in making a call and John continued by turning the boy over and holding him down for 20 seconds to secure the second ippon. The referee was informed by the table judges after the hold down that the throw was an ippon!!
John lost the semi-final to an Azerbijani, who he had beaten before four years ago. Although the score was two wazaris and an ippon, the match was actually not that one sided. The Azerbijani got two penalties early in the match, John was later caught twice for wazaris and finally thrown for ippon with uranagi. The Azerbjani left the mat claiming to be too injured to continue in the competition and forfeited the final. John won the Bronze medal final with a dominant display by three wazari’s against the German.

John got Bronze today in the Junior European Cup in Paks, Hungary, in the -100 kg weight class. He lost by a shido in Golden Score in the Semi-Final to the eventual Gold Medalist from Germany. In the Bronze medal final he threw the current Junior European Champion from Austria, who is currently ranked 2nd in the Junior IJF World Ranking List and 36th in the Senior IJF World Ranking List, for ippon.
After this weekend John should move up from 3rd to second in the Junior IJF World Ranking List. He is still giving away almost 10 kilo..!!
#Moberlystars20yearsandcounting