WEST FIFE judo youngsters enjoyed success at last weekend’s Scottish Mini-Mons Championships.

The event, for under-13s, was held at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Centre in Motherwell and siblings Jocelyn and Isaac Callaghan, of Dunfermline’s Destination Judo Club, both made the podium.

Jocelyn took pride of place by scooping gold in the under-13 girls’ under-28 kilo category where, after a closely-fought affair, she won her final fight by only a shido (technical penalty) to ensure her first national title and underline her potential for the future.

The under-11 boys’ under-25 kilo class was fiercely competitive and younger brother Isaac also showed promise, winning his opening bout at his first national championship before recovering well from a defeat to the son of a Commonwealth Games judo medallist to win his bronze-medal fight, with a second throw for wazari to score ippon, ending the contest.

Slightly older local competitors have also been in action lately, with the Scottish and Northern Irish rounds of British Judo’s annual events calendar taking place in April, leading to an update of the all-important UK rankings table.

In the Pre-Cadet (under-15) events, Carnegie Judo Club has two youngsters ranked in the top three of their respective categories.

Jamie Horn made the podium at both events in the under-55 kilo category to confirm his third place in the British rankings, while Benjamin Fox Kennedy consolidated second place in the over-66 kilo class in the National Ippon League with his silver medal at the Scottish event.

At the Cadet (under-18 level), three Destination JC athletes are highly ranked in the GB Talent Identification List after the Scottish and Northern Irish events. Ryan Turnbull’s impressive season sees him ranked first in the UK Boys’ under-73 kilo list.

Fiona Todman is second in the Girls’ under-48 kilo category, while Emma Forrest is ranked fourth in the Girls’ under-57 kilo group.

With selections shortly to be announced for representing Great Britain both at the European Cadet Championships in Lithuania and the European Youth Olympic Festival in Hungary, and with Scottish invitations imminent for the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, all three athletes have put themselves in contention to prove themselves at the highest level this summer.