World Championships draw to a close for GB Judo

It was a tough day for the GB Judo team on the penultimate day of the International Judo Federation World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Competing in the -100kg category, Harry Lovell-Hewitt (Stroud JC; Richard Neale) produced a dominant opening round performance to defeat Liester Cardona (CUB). Lovell-Hewitt registered a waza-ari score with an ura nage throw before following up with an arm lock in the next exchange for ippon score.

Lovell-Hewitt picked up two early shidos in his Round Two contest against Nurlykhan Sharkhan (KAZ). The scorecard was evened as Sharkhan picked up two shidos of his own.

With nothing between the pair the contest entered Golden Score where either fighter could have picked up a third shido. Unfortunately for Lovell-Hewitt that unwelcome honour went to him, meaning he exited the championships.

in the -78kg category Emma Reid (Redbridge JC; Steve Sandy) and Natalie Powell (Irfon JC) both bowed out in their respective opening contests.

Reid faced 8th seed Patricia Sampaio (POR) in Round Two, following an opening round bye, who applied a strangle, forcing the Brit to tap out whilst Powell picked up three penalty shidos in her Round One contest against Giorgia Stangherlin (ITA).

With no fighters selected in the +78kg or +100kg category, this signals the end of the World Championships for the GB Judo Team which saw Jemima Yeats-Brown (Ryecroft Judokwai; Ian Oliver) record a 5^th place finish and Nekoda Smythe-Davis (Ealing Judo Club; Jo Crowley), Lachlan Moorhead (Sheffield JC; Matt Moorhead) and Gemma Howell (Wolverhampton JC; Bill Kelly) reach the last 16.

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