Teenager Hayley steps up to senior competition with ease

Monday, January 23, 2012
4:30 PM

TEENAGER Hayley Willis stepped up to senior level, after landing the junior title in the under-48kg category, to win gold at the Senior British Closed Championships in Sheffield, yesterday.

The 16-year-old, who represents the Stratford Jodokai Club, defeated Pinewood’s Emma Pang to gold with Wolverhampton’s Eve Mikhael earning the bronze.

British Judo performance director Daniel Lascau said: “I’m very pleased with Hayley Willis because she confirmed her ability at this level after winning the junior title on Saturday and she’s a very good judoka.”

Lascau’s Olympic squad was on show and there were victories for Olympic test event bronze medallist Sophie Cox (-52kg), Connie Ramsey (-57kg), Sarah Clark (-63kg), Sally Conway (-70kg), Fiona Jones (-78kg) and Sarah Adlington (+78kg).

Lesley Reid, 49, in the +78kg division, left with bronze - a repeat of her 1987 achievement for the competitor who left the British visually impaired team last year due to new sight classification criteria.

In the men’s competition, gold medals went to Brandon Dodge (-60kg), Colin Oates (-66kg), Jan Gosiewski (-73kg), Tom Reed (-81kg), Euan Burton (-90kg), Peter Cousins (-100kg) and Matthew Clempner (+100kg).