GB Judoka ready for action at European Youth Olympic Festival

Today marks the start of the judo action at this week’s European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Utrecht in the Netherlands for Team GB’s Judoka starting with Peter Miles’ fight for the -55kg boys.

Tomorrow sees Jodie Caller, Abbi Blackie, Neil MacDonald and Stuart McWatt all fighting in their respective categories, while Thursday sees Sarah Hill, Lubjana Piovesana, Enrico Atkinson and Jamal Petgrave on the tatami. On Friday John Jayne, Valentino Volante and Michelle Boyle will finish off Judo’s representation at the games – hopefully sealing medals for Team GB.

All of the judoka representing GB attended a star-studded opening ceremony and had the chance to fly their country’s flag alongside other potential future Olympians on Sunday.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands officially opened the Games during a ceremony in the Galgenwaard Stadium, containing all Olympic traditions. The Olympic Flame was ignited by Max Geesink, grandson of Dutch judo legend Anton Geesink.

Since arriving at the weekend all have been hard at work training in the Olympic Festival village gym and practicing on the mat. Some members of the team have just returned from the European Cadets Championships in Estonia with a haul of three medals as Peter Miles, Jodie Caller and Neil MacDonald all took bronze.

Representing Team GB at the EYOF for these judoka will be their first Olympic experience and it comes a year after their senior peers Gemma Gibbons and Karina Bryant won silver and bronze at the London 2012 Olympics.

Sixteen-year-old Jodie Caller from Northampton, said: “I am feeling very excited, but also a bit nervous. After all, it all depends on the luck of the draw and who I am fighting. I am hoping for a good result.

“I went to London to watch the Olympics last year and I’ve never experienced anything like it, so to get the chance to compete in an Olympic Festival myself is amazing. This will be my first time at an international multi-sport event. I’m really looking forward to meeting all the other people from the different sports.”
Meanwhile Edinburgh’s Michelle Boyle from Edinburgh will fight in the +70kg heavyweight category for girls.

And the 17-year-old admits she cannot wait to get stuck into the action this week.
“I want to win the gold medal at the Festival,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for me and I want to be an Olympian by the time 2020 comes around so this is a great stepping stone in that respect.”

Matt Divall, England Programme Manager, who is out in the Netherlands with the team, said: “The team have settled in well, mixing with other sports and soaking up the Olympic experience. Today was down to business, training went very well and the players are eager to get started. The draw is Monday and all being well the team can continue the performances shown at the cadet Europeans.”

You can follow #EYOF2013 live with the livestream on the website! @InfostradaLive http://www.utrecht2013.com

Words by Donna Richardson.