10:33am Saturday 27th June 2009
By Gazette Sports
TWENTY members of Kendal Judo club went to Blackburn to take on the might of the Lancashire Judo Clubs and came back with 22 medals.
In the Lancashire Open Championships Kendal always do well but this year's medal haul was the best for a long, long while.
What was different was that the majority of the medal-winners were quite new to judo competition.
Top of the medal haul were brothers William and Matthew Lenney and their sister Katherine.
Katherine won two gold medals in the 12 to 15 years of age group in her weight of U63 kilos and then in the Open weight, where she was giving away up to 15 kilos.
Nine-year-old brother William was the youngest of the Kendal squad and the lowest grade but nobody could stop him as he powered his way togold in the U12 years, Under yellow belt section.
Not to be outdone Matthew Lenney came away with a bronze in the U46 kilo, U15 years category.
Other gold medals went to Samantha Barker in the Seniors U57 kilo category and Courtney Kellet, who was giving away three years to some of her opponents.
Sarah Porthouse fought well against some strong opponents to win her gold, while Mike Hardy in his first senior event faced opponents several grades higher than his junior green belt but still stepped atop of the winner’s rostrum.
Abdul Ben Hamida was another fighter giving away grade and age but still gold as did Anthony Lloyd in the U60 kilo group.
Adam Dixon came back with two medals - a silver in the U66 kilos and a bronze in the Open weight.
A silver also went to Brooke Kellet in her first-ever competition and another silver went to Kaylem Gunnell in the next age band.
Adrian Richards also won silver after losing the final by the smallest of scores.
Alex Farrington was fighting well in the final of the Brown Belt category when she fell badly and had to withdraw injured, but came away with the silver medal.
Bronze medals were won by Rebecca Lawrence, Patrick Bennett, Eden Carr, and Ben Dixon Finally, Anthony Parkinson had the misfortune to meet fellow club member Danny Harper in the semi-final of the Dan Grade Open weight and had to be content with a bronze medal.
Danny's experience showed as he powered his way to the gold despite giving away up to 40kilos in weight to some of his opponents.
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