Tomoko Highlights Video-NHC Open
Camberley Judo Club’s senior players dominated at the Northern Home Counties Open last Sunday. The club returned from the event with four gold one silver and two bronze medals. Gareth Fairclough in his new weight division of 66kg bettered his North West Open bronze by taking the division title with four solid wins, three of which came from maximum points. Gareth dispatched his opponents with a mixture of counter throws and brutal arm locks. Anna Svensson at 63 kg also took the gold medal with four stylish wins all coming inside the distance from maximum points. Sophie Johnstone and Kristie-Anne Ryder both up a weight at 57kg also won every fight by maximum points with some impressive throwing to reach the final. Here they faced each other with Sophie taking the title and Kristie-Anne, who is Camberley’s resident Australian Olympian, settling for silver. The final gold of the day went to Tomoko Kumamoto at 70kg. Tomoko produced a judo master class that left both the audience and her opposition in awe. Each opponent was dispatched in under a minute with a collection of both left and right handed throws. Vince Skillcorn competing at 81kg at this event finished the day with a bronze medal. A small mistake cost him his one loss of the day but he recovered to produce some big techniques against his heavier opponents. The final medal of the day was won by Jim Warren at 73kg. It was the first event back in some time for the former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and British no.1 at 66kg. Jim fell at the semi final stage after two good wins but came back well to win the bronze medal contest inside a minute.
