Glossop Judo Club sent both junior and senior members up to Newcastle on Saturday 1st Oct for the Great Northern Open Championships, returning with a hatful of medals.

The day started well and just got better and better for the club which only formed in February of this year and trains twice weekly at Glossop's new Sports College, St Philip Howard.

Lauren Errett and Rhiannon Baldwin started the ball rolling with 2 gold medals. Both the girls were unbeaten, Lauren winning 4 fights in style and Rhiannon winning her 2 fights with her usual tenacious fighting technique. Jordan Ham was in a tough group, but fought with the skill and aggression that her coach knows she has to secure a well deserved bronze medal. Naomi Gaskin also received a bronze medal and showed great improvement in the few months since her last competition.

The pressure was then put on the lads to match the girls' display and they didn't disappoint. Josh Jackson overcame a bloody nose to win all his 4 fights and take the gold. Eric Ham won his 5 fights winning gold, giving him a competitive unbeaten run of 13 fights, David Leyshon looked set to bring another gold home but just got caught in the final, still picking up a well deserved silver. Elliot Hardman had to work extremely hard for his silver medal, winning 2 out of his 4 fights, the fitness training on club nights certainly paying off. Ryan Phillips picked up the Bronze in the u35kg, with 2 wins. Twins Rob and Chris Wallace had to fight each other in their weight category, which the officials found highly amusing, Chris just getting the upper hand but both ended up winning bronze medals. The final junior medal tally was 11 fighters, 11 medals – 4 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze, another excellent display by our young team.
The senior competitors also returned home with medals, Carrie Hall winning gold with excellent controlled aggression and Anthony Ham claiming a bronze in a tough group with two classy throws. Unfortunately Tom Gaskin just missed out on qualifying for medals, but still won one of his two fights.
Steve Phillips (club coach) also missed out, showing why he's stopped fighting and sticks to his coaching.
Geoff was also very happy that he dislocated his toe two days earlier when he saw the monsters he would have been fighting.