This weekend marked a busy one on the JudoScotland calendar. The Scottish Judo Community gathered to Ravenscraig for not just one but two events!
On Saturday, judoka from all corners of Scotland gathered with a single focus: competing for the prestigious Scottish Title. With over 400 entries spanning a range of categories, Ravenscraig buzzed with excitement, setting the stage for a fantastic display of skill, strength, and sportsmanship.
One of the day’s highlights came from Sportif Judo Club’s Maia Thomson. Fresh off a bronze medal win at the Riga Cadet European Cup in October, Maia fought her way to win Gold in the -63kg weight class, not only in the Cadet category but also in Juniors and Seniors—a remarkable achievement.
Gairoch’s Ross McWatt had a successful event, winning the Junior –73kg Scottish Championship title. He also took home the Senior Bronze medal following some fabulous fights in a strongly contested category won by Tayside’s Aiden Moffat.
Last month we shared a story on Oleksandr Ostritov’s judo journey after he arrived in Scotland from Ukraine in 2022. With the help of his sponsor family, Oleksandr started attending Bridge of Allan Judo Club, and since then, he has been supported by clubs and coaches throughout the community to help his development and progression. His story tale continues with a Championship win in the Junior –81kg category and with younger brother Kiril following in his footsteps, winning a Gold medal in the A band –46kg category.
Sportif’s rising star Lexi Buchanan had a phenomenal Championship winning titles at Cadet, Junior and Senior level.
The event was a true celebration of Scotland’s judo talent, an event made possible by the tireless efforts of our volunteer workforce.
JudoScotland National Kyu and Dan & JudoScotland Veterans National 1st Kyu and Dan Grading
On Sunday, some of the competitors returned to the mat, joining other judoka eager to make valuable progress toward their next grade promotion. This event offered opportunities to be assessed on technical knowledge and application and/or to earn competitive points for those striving to advance through the higher grades, showcasing their progress, commitment and skill.
Attracting over 95 participants it was fantastic to see such a well-attended event, with an impressive turnout in the female categories! This particular event also provided the opportunity for some of our trainee Senior Examiners to move one step closer to completing their training.
Once again, the event workforce stepped up to the mark, many returning for a second day to support delivery with enthusiasm and purpose.