DUNFERMLINE judoka returned from two days of gruelling competition with two bronze medals and a number of impressive contest wins from two days of gruelling competition at the British Age Band Championships held in Sheffield last weekend.

Leading the way was Destination Judo’s Emma Forrest, who took third position for the second consecutive year in the pre-cadet (under-15) girls’ under-44 kilo category, after breezing through her pool with quick wins over both Alex Reid, from Northern Ireland, and Clyde Judo Club’s Ezri Bradley. The 13-year-old Dunfermline High School pupil faced Samurai JC’s Darcie Hancocks in the semi-final but was unable to secure the comfortable victory which she had managed against the same opponent in the final of the Sportif International tournament earlier in the year. With the fight lasting the full distance, it was decided on penalties and with the West Fifer having accrued one more than her opponent, it was Hancocks who proceeded to the final (which she duly won), leaving Forrest again on the third step of the podium at the English Institute of Sport.

Also winning a second British medal was Scottish champion Kai Francis (pictured) in the cadet (under-18) boys’ under-90 kilo category, adding a bronze to the silver medal which he won in 2012. Despite losing his first fight against Redbridge JC’s Daniel Mair, who went on to reach the final, Francis (16) recovered well and made the podium after winning through three rounds of the repechage tournament. Having benefited from a first-round bye, the Carnegie JC member followed up a throw and hold combination win over Rhondda/Honto’s Luke Thomas with a further newaza victory over Edinburgh JC’s Jamie Renwick to clinch the bronze medal and continue his very impressive recent form.

Four other local judoka found the move up to the cadet ranks challenging but the 14-year-olds all showed promise for the future against older and more experienced opponents.

Kirsty Marsh finished a creditable seventh in the girls’ under-52 kilo category, winning quick ippon victories over Bishop Challoner JC’s Aoife Prosser and East Yorkshire Judo Academy’s Megan Dinsdale. Despite leading her next fight against Edinburgh JC’s Rae Anderson, the Dalgety Bay girl was countered for ippon by her 16-year-old opponent to end her impressive run of 10 successive UK tournament wins.

Fiona Todman, fresh from her silver medal at the Scottish Championships, won one of the most keenly-contested fights of the day against Ealing JC’s Hollie Walmsley in the girls’ under-52 kilo class, defeating the Londoner for the first time in three meetings. However, despite a plucky display, she lost to eventual bronze medallist Yasmin Gordon, of Sportif JC, in the next round.

Fellow Destination JC member Ryan Turnbull took the notable scalp of Westcroft JC’s Samuel Petgrave to qualify from his pool sheet to the cross-ties of the boys’ under-66 kilo category but defeat in the next round to Adam Whitfield, of South Brent JC, ended his challenge. Also bowing out before the medal fights was Carnegie JC’s Rebekah Mill, who was competitive in losing out to Welsh and Northern Irish opponents in the girls’ over-70kg class.