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Special needs players from
Washington Judo Club and their sister club at Portland College
recently starred at the G-Judo event in Beverwijk, Holland on
the Saturday 27th March.
Over 300 players competed
from 43 different clubs at the special needs event including 10
from outside Holland. The English players played their part by
winning seven medals.
Their combined team of
10 players won two gold medals and five bronze.
The players, who all received
medals for participating, suffer from conditions including Down's
Syndrome, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Cerebal Palsy, Epilepsy and
ADHD.
Washington Judo Club coach
John Pickering said: “This was a major event, with eight mat areas
and a very high standard of Judo on display.
“Arranging the trip wasn't
that difficult as we received accommodation advice from the
event organisers so only had to book the flights and then contact
the recommended hostel company.”
Pickering oversaw the trip
and believes the parents and the club’s committee were the key
to enabling the talented players to compete.
“Fortunately our club has
a really good committee, so once I had organised the accommodation
our Club Secretary sorted out the flights and our Club Treasurer
organised collecting the money from the parents. We paid for the
student’s accommodation from club funds and were able to get a
grant from Aiming High to cover most of the cost of the accommodation
for the parents that travelled with them.
“The parents paid for the
flight costs for themselves and their children,” he added.
“The organisers provided
free transport from the airport to the accommodation and to and
from the venue itself. Entry to the competition was free, funded
by sponsors to the event.”
Portland College, a specialist
school for cognition and learning, in Chapelgarth, Sunderland,
provided four players. They fielded Bradley Potter, Logan Elliot,
Nicholas Skrzypczak and Gold medallist Ailesha Dodds.
The six players from
Washington, who are club members of the British Judo Association,
were Gold medal winner Nikki McDermott, Terri McDermott, Alexander
Sawyer-Copus, Liam Lister, Sophie Farish and Callam Gach.
The British Judo Association is the National Governing Body for
the Olympic Sport of judo in Great Britain.
Washington Judo Club train
at Washington Village Hall, Washington. Training is held on Monday
at 18:00 - 21:00 and on Friday at 18:30 - 21:00.
Media Contact:
Mark Pickering
British Judo
(t) 01509 631674
(e) mark.pickering@britishjudo.org.uk
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