For the second consecutive year Willesden topped the medal table winning 5 gold, 5 silver and 1 bronze. It was an excellent display from the young squad and shows great promise for the future.
On Saturday in the u20 section, in the 16 weight categories, Willesden won five and placed second in another three.
u60kg Ashley McKenzie - Gold
u66kg Jean-Rene Badrick - Gold
u73kg Shane Davin - Silver
u81kg Jerome Robinson-Reid - Silver
u100kg Jermaine McIntosh - Gold
o100kg Theo Spalding-McIntosh - Gold
u44kg Demi Smith - Gold
u63kg Colleen Kerr - Silver
Based on the above, and with a bit more hard work, half of next years Junior World team could come from Willesden.
On Sunday, in the Senior section, the withdrawal of both Lee Shinkin and Jean-Rene Badrick did dent the clubs medal hopes but still they had a good day.
u60kg Ashley McKenzie - Bronze
u73kg William Henry - 5th
u81kg Tom Davis - Silver
u100kg Theo Spalding-McIntosh - Silver
u63kg Colleen Kerr - 5th
Lee Shinkin fought superbly in this tough u23 European Championships. He won his contest against Milenbergs (LAT) by Waza-ari before loosing to Ismaylov (AZE) the eventual silver medalist. In the repechage Lee defeated Chimchiuri (UKR) and Kambur (TUR) to reach the fight for the bronze. Here he faced the excellent Russian Osadze, who had beaten Lee in the GB World Cup, and although controlling the contest better lost and ended in 5th place.
5th, at this level, is excellent and Lee is also young enough to fight this tournament next year.
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10 year old Jack Galvin fought superbly to become u27kg National Champion at the Junior National Championships, 'A' Band.
Lee Shinkin and Tom Davis were excellent in this tough Senior 'B' tournament taking a gold and silver respectively.
In the u73kg weight Lee had six fights and won five by Ippon against Iburg (DEN), Paz (ISR), Semiz (CRO), Gosiewski (GBR) and Eldred (USA). In the final he faced Mueller (GER) and defeated him by a Koka to win his first gold in an International 'B'.
Tom beat Boras (CAN), Stevens (USA), Egger (SUI) and Kazydub (RUS) to reach the u81kg final where he lost in Golden Score to the strong Fin Toroi and had to settle for silver.
A great day for Willesden.
Of the 5 young men selected to represent Great Britain in this prestigious tournament 4 came from Willesden.
The club is exceptionally proud of these boys - u60kg Ashley McKenzie, u66kg Jean-Rene Badrick, u73kg Jerome Robinson-Reid and +100kg Theo Spalding-McIntosh.
Ashley was on fire defeating Biahasau (BLR) with Kata-Guruma and Pions (ESP) with San-Gaku, who had beaten Ashley in the bronze contest at the Youth Olympics two years ago, by Ippon before taking on the awesome Russian Arsen Galstyan.
As an example of this Russian's exceptional talent, back in July, he fought the Polish Junior and won silver in the under 66kg weight.
Ashley fought him brilliantly and narrowly lost on a Shido.
Now in the Repechage he threw Andreoli (ITA) for two Waza-aris using Ko-Soto and Te-Guruma and Terim (TUR) for Waza-ari with Kata-Guruma to earn a place in the Bronze fight.
Here Ashley faced Kopiske and tore into the German right from the off scoring two Yukos and a Koka, however late in the match a mistake found him pinned but only for 8 seconds, enough to give all the British contingent heart failure, before escaping and claiming the Bronze.
JR won his first two matches against Rios (ESP) and Sedmidubsky (CZE) before losing to Mogushkov (RUS) and Mayr (AUT); both the eventual Bronze medalists.
Jerome was excellent in his one and only contest against Idir (FRA) who was then defeated by another awesome Russian Mikhail Machin who went on to win the title.
Theo was slightly off the mark, with good results in Bremen, Lyon and Cetniewo, a lot was expected. However, although leading by a Yuko against Losevs (LAT) he was caught for Waza-ari and lost and here his day ended.
The best thing is that all four are young enough to do this event next year and also the Junior World Championships.
Credit must also go to the 10 week full-time training programme that saw the boys attend 7 training camps in Cetniewo, Alicante, Braunschweig, Edinburgh, Rouen/Paris, Oslo and Frankfurt, the Randori and partners at these were invaluable.
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For the second time in Willesdens 28 year history one of its members, Jean-Rene Badrick, has been selected to fight the Senior World Championships, in Rio, Brasil in September 2007.
What make this even more special is that JR is only 17 and will still be 17 when he steps onto the world stage in September, making him the youngest ever Brit to achieve this high level.
Along with JR the club is also proud that Tom Davis has been named as the u81kg reserve for this Championships. He has worked hard over the past couple of years and has recorded some good wins in several World Cup tournaments recently.
Three Willesden members were selected to represent Great Britain in this hard Junior International: Ashley McKenzie, Jean-Rene Badrick and Jerome Robinson-Reid.
JR was awesome and took gold leaving Voloshyn (UKR), Naniy (RUS), Hasanov (AZE), Shershan (BLR) and Rybin (RUS) in his wake.
Ashley won his first contest against Asadullayev (AZE) before losing to the eventual gold medalist Galstyan (RUS). In the repecharge he lost to Vinolo (FRA).
Jerome lost two contests to Nakaya (JPN), the eventual gold medalist and to Polischuk (RUS).
Jean-Rene Badrick was selected to represent Great Britain in the Senior European event. In his first contest against Penas (ESP) JR was caught late in the contest for Ippon. The Spaniard then lost his next match.
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This tournament is without doubt the hardest Junior (u20) competitions in the year, even harder than a Junior European Championships, to which Japan, Kazakstan, Iran and other Asian countries cannot enter.
This year 24 nations entered, along with the above 3, all the top European Countries were present plus others from around the World like Canada.
431 competitors fought on Sunday in the under 20 age group and this number included 34 Britons.
Willesden's Theo Spalding-McIntosh was our and Britain's only medalist. He fought superbly.
Starting with a narrow loss to the enormous Japanese fighters Shogo, by 2 shidos, Theo came back in the repecharge to win 4 tough matches against Ettengruber (GER), Breitbarth (GER), Barkalaya (KAZ) and Hermegnies (BEL) to win a bronze in the o100kg weight.
Also having a great day were Shane Davin and Jerome Robinson-Reid.
Shane in the under 66kg weight won 4 matches against Berger (GER), Wenzinger (SUI), Keil (GER) Payman (GER) and lost twice to Kursad (TUR) the eventual silver medalist and Schmidt (GER) who placed 5th.
Jerome in the under 73kg weight won 2 matches against Beckers (GER) and Vonk (NED) and lost twice to Musil (CZE) the eventual silver medalist and Carollo (ITA) who placed 7th.
Lee Shinkin was selected to represent Great Britain in this World Cup tournament and gained an excellent 7th place.
Lee lost his first match to the eventual silver medalist, Zaretskiy RUS, but in the repecharge defeated Csokntai HUN and Stangl AUT both by Ippon before losing to the Athens Olympic bronze medalist Tsagaanbaatar from Mongolia.
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Georgina Davies u63kg and Jermaine McIntosh u73kg were selected to represent Great Britain at the prestigious European Cadet Championships held in Miskolc, Hungary over 24th-25th June 2006.
Both fought expectionally well with Georgina taking a 5th place. Her first contest was against Bauer (AUT) who won the German Cadet Tournament in May where Georgina placed 9th. Georgina has superb newaza and half way through this tough battle strangled Bauer into submission.
Next up was Aydin (TUR) and a neat turnover secured a hold for Ippon.
Petrechenko (UKR) proved much more difficult and Georgina lost on a Yuko to a two-sleeved drop Seoi-Nage. However the Ukrainian went on into the final, were she took silver to the Russian Sordia, bringing Georgina back into the Repecharge.
Abreu (POR) and Kapilova (LAT) were both defeated for Ippon with O Uchi Gari and Uchi Mata respectively, to take Georgina into the bronze contest.
Here, against Joo (HUN), with home crowd advantage, she went a score down and pushing on was caught with Uchi Mata for Ippon, leaving her in a creditable 5th place - but young enough to do this event next year.
In the under 73kg weight Jermaine McIntosh made short work of his first contest against
Halilagic (BIH), throwing him for Ippon with Harai Goshi. Next he faced the formidable Naghiyev (AZE), who finished 5th, and was held for Ippon.
Now in the Repecharge his next contest was against Aladic (SCG) and leading by Waza-Ari was unlucky to be caught with a Kata Guruma for Ippon and so ended his day.
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In the amazing picture above Georgina defends Abigel Joo's Juji Gatame with a bridge.
Looking closer the bridge is not with the top of the head on the mat but with the entire face flat on the mat. Bent over double is not the phrase, how flexible is Georgie!
Picture taken by Tamas Zahonyi the EJU photographer for the event.
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On Saturday 12th November 2005 Tom Davis became Willesden's second male British Senior National Champion.
The club had a great day in Walsall, Tom, 22, fought superbly to win the under 81kg weight, taking his first ever National Title.
He had 7 contests and fought with determination and skill to beat some talented opposition.
Lee Shinkin, 19, contested the under 73kg weight having just moved up after his success at the Junior Europeans in Croatia where he placed 7th.
This was his first attempt at making the British Senior squad and he was well pleased with his bronze.
Jean-Rene Badrick, 15, and William Henry, 17, were the club's other participants, both fought well and gained a lot of experience against Britain's senior men in the under 66kg weight.
JR and Ashley's photos courtesy of Marcel vd Kerkhof, a great photographer.
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First up (both literally and metaphorically) Andrea Salico, Italy, who was dispatched for Ippon...
... as was Vitaly Shauliuk from Belarus in JR's second contest.
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This sport is great, you make friends all over the World and Ugo LeGrand of France is one of JR's. We have spent many days training and competing at his father's club in Grand Quevilly, Rouen. They are nice people. And, like in Poland a few weeks ago, unfortunately Ugo was drawn on JR's side of the Knockout. He is an excellent fighter and like in Poland went on to take a bronze in this European Cadet Championships.
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Semi-final: Russia's Mikhail Machin is awesome - his left sided Seoi and Uchimata are devastating. In Poland he flattened JR with the former in the u66kg final.
Now they faced each other for what should have been the final.
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The Russian took the lead with a Yuko from a Seoi and then received two penalities. With the score even this attack scored nothing.
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With time running out Machin unleashed a huge Uchimata which JR countered. The Corner Judge signalled "in". Shane and Theo hold their breath in the background. JR, hands clasped, almost begs the Referee for a score. But no, the three referees held a conference, "Was it in or was it out?" "Whose throw was it anyway?". They walk over to the Head Referee, more talks, more time standing still. They return to the middle... the Ref' scores Waza-ari and points to JR. We all go mad.
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The two best fighters in the weight shake hands. It's 1-all between them now and next it's the Youth Olympics, who knows? (Ask Tom Walker, he knows everything).
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The Final against Arsen Macharashvili from Georgia starts.
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AND ENDS.
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At the age of 9 JR became National Junior Champion, at the age of 14 JR became National Youth Champion and now at the age of 15 he is EUROPEAN CHAMPION.
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Since being non-selected to contest this event last year JR has dreamed of this day, and, as you can see, was well pleased.
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Having taken what seemed an age to tie his belt, JR shakes the Georgian's hand ...
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... and walks into the congratulations from his club mates, Shane, Ashley and Theo.
The draw was not kind to Ashley. The last person he wanted was Andrey Bazhitov from Russia but he got him first.
Ashley was soon in a pickle on the floor and was neatly strangled by the Russian, who went on to reach the final. This brought Ashley back into contention for a bronze.
Bosnia's Ahmed Fatkic was first up and an Ashley-special Kata-Guruma dispatched him for Ippon.
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Earlier the Russian only just scraped past Radu Gincu from Moldova and now it was Ashley's turn.
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However Ashley's Sangaku secured a 7 point lead and ....
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... this superb Drop Tani-OToshi finished the job.
Next up, Evert Roopson from Estonia suffered a similar defeat via Ashley's Kata-Guruma.
And then came the battle for bronze.
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In early May Michael Durand from France, above, beat Ashley by Waza-ari with Maki-Komi in the German Cadet International.
Here in Salzburg, three times Durand came through with the Maki-Komi, three times Ashley stepped the technique, countered with three Te-Gurumas and scored three Yukos.
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With the clock running down Ashley eats up time with an attempted Juji-Gatame and as the buzzer goes he explodes ....
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..."machine gunning" half the audience ...
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... and taking the praise ...
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... for a job well done!
Jaroslaw Szczepaniak from Poland was Shane first opponent, he had fought this event last year and wasn't easy.
However Shane swept him for a Yuko and then took the bout by Waza-Ari with a superb Kata-Guruma.
Next up was the Latvian Maksims Morozovs who neatly arm-locked Shane early in the contest.
But Morozovs reached the semi-final giving Shane a crack at the bronze.
Markus Moser from Austria had the home crowds backing but this did not stop Shane's Kata-Guruma which score Yuko to win the contest.
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One fight away from the bronze contest Shane faced Yunus Sastim from Turkey.
Shane started hesitantly and received three penalities, but then rallied to score a Yuko with a Seoi.
However his next attack was deemed poor and Shane was once more penalised.
His day was over, but the resultant 7th place and the experience at this top level were great.
Although there are no photos of Theo in action, he fought with guts and determination against Benjamin Harmegnies from Belgium in his first contest.
On the bell the match stood at a Koka each and so went into "Golden Score".
Theo piled on the attacks and could have got the Belgian wound-up but a slip gave Harmegnies a score and the match.
Theo's day ended but he and I can be well proud of his achievement.
This year the European Junior (u20) Championships were held in Sofia, Bulgaria from Friday 10th - Sunday 12th September 2004.
Lee Shinkin, 18, fought on Friday in the under 66kg weight.
He has had a tough time in the Junior 'A' tournaments across Europe this year but his unusual Kata Guruma worked a treat and brought him 4 wins out of 6 fights to end the day placed 5th.
Two weeks before the European's Lee won the British Junior Open Championships confirming his place as Britain's number one and went into the Europeans on a high.
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Lee's first contest was against Kuzmin from the Ukraine, above.
He lasted just over a minute before being flattened for Ippon by Lee's technique.
Next up was Clastres from France, this went to time but Lee's throw scored Waza-ari during the bout to give him his second win.
The awesome Romanian, Danculea, was next and although Lee lead by a Chui to a Shido he was countered late in the match for Ippon and with disappointment lost the chance of a semi-final place.
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Now in the Repechage Kryvasheyeu, above, from Belarussia stood in his way.
Another Lee special scored Waza-ari and on he went to face Kmec from the Czech Republic.
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Lee had lost to the Czech earlier this year but the experience did him good and Lee caught him for Waza-ari to earn a place in the Bronze medal contest.
This was against Tiago Lopez from Portugal and went to time, however a drop Kata Guruma from Lopez scored Waza-ari and left Lee in 5th Place
Again he was disappointed but with time will realise that this was a superb performance, he did better then the other British young men and secured his place in the Junior World team heading for Hungary in October.
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