Judo stars at Open

The NI Open attracts hundreds of competitors over the course of two days, with a number of local people travelling with the ‘Dogleap Judo Club’ to take part.

Fine performances were put in by all the Roe Valley ‘Judoka’ who travelled as part of the Dogleap Judo Club contingent. Two of the fighters placed among the medals, while a host of others competed with distinction against the top challengers from across the entire United Kingdom and sometimes even further afield.

11-year-old Danni McIlmoyle lifted bronze in her category, fending off some stiff competition to add to her already impressive record in Junior judo competitions.

Head coach Tom Pearson, a Double Commonwealth medallist, also competed in order to set a good example of how to conduct yourself in one of the most demanding and tough competition environments around. He managed to secure a second place finish in the over 100kg Masters category, displaying the poise, calm and fierce competitive nature demanded by such a prestigious and difficult tournament.

Other Roe Valley judo aces to travel to the NI Open and put in fine performances were 17-year-old Toni Berry in the Junior Under 52kg category and Diarmid McSheffery in the Under 33kg minors.

Bronze medal winner Danni McIlmoyle has a host of fantastic achievements in the field of judo to her name already, including a runner-up accolade in the Limavady Sports Awards.

10-year old Diarmid McSheffrey was also lucky enough to secure a runner up award in the Limavady Sports Awards, this time in the male youth category.

Toni Berry might have narrowly missed out on a medal in the NI Open, but she has won female athlete of the year for her age group and is also on the Northern Ireland squad.

Head Coach and Dogleap Judo Club founder Tom Pearson said that the performances put in by the local athletes were outstanding, and that the experience of taking part in such an elite competition would stand the young ‘judoka’ in good stead. “It is fantastic experience for them. They will be more used to competing at this kind of a level.

“I took part myself, I think it is important to try and set a good example. Coming to this event off the back of a medals finish in the Commonwealth Judo Tournament I think will hopefully show the kids the way to go about their business.

“I have that tournament experience and I have been lucky enough to finish quite well, so to be able to talk the kids through exactly what to expect, how to handle the long waits you can sometimes get between fights, that is something I can hopefully pass on to them.

“I am very lucky myself to be able to coach talented, hard working and dedicated young kids like Danni, Toni and Diarmid and the way they performed at the Open was fanatastic.

“It was a fantastic tournament, with 280 competing over two days, all the way from England, Scotland, Wales and sometimes even farther afield.

“They have that experience now – if they can carry that sort of form into the NI Schools tournaments I will be expecting big things.”

Dogleap Judo Club were recognised at the recent Limavady Sports Awards, picking up a host of accolades for the work being done by both Tom and his young athletes, with Tom Pearson himself picking up the ‘Coach of the Year Award’.

A major recent event for the Club occurred when one of the most respected people in the world of judo travelled to Limavady to talk with the young athletes and to give give coaching lessons. George Kerr is a former European Champion and an ex international referee. In his youth he trained in Japan for several years and later in his career, as an instructor in Austria, coached one of his players to World, European and two Olympic Gold medals, the only coach in Britain or Ireland to coach a double Olympic champion.

In 2010 George became the youngest ever Judan, the highest grade a judo player can reach, (only 34 players in the near 130 year history of judo have ever been promoted to 10th Degree which is denoted by wearing a red belt). Last year he was awarded a CBE for service to Judo and was also decorated by his Majesty the Emperor of Japan, receiving the Order of the Rising Sun, the equivalent to a Knighthood in the UK.

Tom Pearson said: “This was the greatest possible honour for us and a great boast for local Judo. Most judo players go through their career never even getting the chance to meet 10th Dan never mind to get coached by one. This is the first time that such a high grade has ever set foot in Northern Ireland or Ireland.”

Tom said that the club would be more than happy to welcome new recruits and invited anyone interested to come to their training sessions on Tuesday evenings from 6.45pm to 7.45pm at Drumachose PS for Under 14s and over 14s from 7.45pm to 9.30pm. The club train again on Wednesday evenings at the same times at Ballykelly PS.