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The Olympic sport of
judo had a major presence at the 2010 Balfour Beatty London Youth
Games on Saturday June 19th at the Crystal Palace National Sports
Centre.
Trampolining, diving,
volleyball and the development stages of Super 8 athletics and
handball also took place at the 33rd instalment of the Games,
which is half way through its six week summer season.
As Europe’s largest
annual youth sports event 50,000 budding sports stars from the
capital will be representing their boroughs and more than a thousand
schools and community organisations.
London’s annual multi-sport
showpiece is run in conjunction with Sport England who has provided
the London Youth Games with £1m funding over 4 years as they continue
to be a major attraction at the National Sports Centre.
Crystal Palace’s popular
facility is regarded as the spiritual home of British judo, having
formerly staged the British Open and the biggest events on the
British calendar.
Judo’s anticipated showcase
saw 270 eager competitors participate in the hotly-contested battle
of the London boroughs, following in the fabled footsteps of some
of Britain’s top sports stars.
Past alumni of the event
dubbed the ‘mini-Olympics’ includes reigning Commonwealth and
Olympic Champion Christine Ohuruogu and two-time Olympic judoka
Winston Gordon.
Ohuruogu, 26, who was
the patron for this year’s event, said: “What I learned from the
London Youth Games was to enjoy sport.
“It’s such a brilliant
setting and even though the boroughs compete against each other,
the fun element is defiantly there,” added the 400m star.
Fellow Londoner Gordon,
33, once competed at the Games as an aspiring judoka for his borough
of Wandsworth.
“I competed there when
I was emerging and it was a really good event to be part of,”
said the 2009 British Open winner.
Staff and volunteers
from 26 National Governing Bodies will be involved across the
six weeks with the British Judo Association’s London area having
run Saturday’s judo competition.
The girls section was
won by familiar standouts Sutton while Wandsworth claimed top
honours for the boys.
Wandsworth Team Manager
Darren Hawney, who coaches alongside Eric Bonti and Winston Gordon
at Ernest Bevin College’s Phoenix Judo Club, was delighted with
the result.
“It’s a tremendous achievement
for all the boys, they really deserve this,” said the former Great
Britain international.
“A lot of the boys are
from Ernest Bevin’s Judo Club where we have a permanent dojo and
Eric as well as Winston coaching.
“This event is one where
Winston competed at when he was a pupil at Ernest Bevin and our
lads, such as gold medal winner Adam Hoshal, are inspired by that.”
Tournament Director
Craig Ringer was delighted with how the judo competition ran and
took immense satisfaction in seeing the children enjoying themselves.
“We can be very pleased
with how the judo competition ran as we had a high number of competitors
and spectators,” said the Londoner.
“It’s a great event
for young players; everything that takes place is for them.
“I get a great deal
of satisfaction in seeing the children enjoying themselves on
the mat and it’s a great stage for them to develop and follow
names such as Winston Gordon.”
Anthony Kendall, Chairman
of the London Youth Games, believes the Games provide a very different
experience for sports-minded youngsters.
“The London Youth Games
provide a unique sporting experience, the type of which simply
would not exist were it not for the Games,” he said.
“Not only is it an exciting
competition in its own right, but it provides a year round focus
and incentive for young people.”
Ernest Bevin’s Phoenix
Judo Club train at Ernest Bevin College, SW17 7DF. Boys and girls
train on Monday and Thursday from 18:00 – 19:30 with men and women
training on the same days at 19:30 – 21:00.
Winners
Wandsworth
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