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Ernest Bevin College’s
Phoenix Judo Club marked a treble celebration by hosting a special
presentation evening on Thursday 24 June.
The star-studded event
marked the official opening of the purpose-built dojo they’ve
used since 2007 and they received their Clubmark Bronze Award
as well as the London Youth Games boy’s trophy as the club’s players
led Wandsworth to glory on 19 June.
The prominent club has
cultivated a star-laden roster of alumni, including top rated
fighters such as two-time Olympian Winston Gordon and former British
international Eric Bonti, both of whom are now employed at their
former school.
Ernest Bevin’s much-anticipated
Clubmark Bronze Award, which was introduced by Sport England in
2002, recognises their example of good practice and Gordon is
delighted with the club receiving such recognition.
“The Award is down to the
hard work of people such as Eric and Darren Hawney and it’s great
for the club and the school,” said Gordon, who’s now the school’s
full-time judo coach.
The event attracted some
distinguished names including British judo stalwart Tony Sweeney,
a celebrated 9 th Dan who competed at the 1964 Olympics. The popular
Brit made the presentation and gave a speech on the tremendous
work of everyone involved at the club.
Club founder and former
coach, Margaret Hicks, who’s now the British Judo Association’s
Performance Director, was also in attendance.
Japan’s all-time great
Kosei Inoue, who currently resides in Edinburgh, led a training
session for junior and senior players during the evening.
The retired 32-year-old,
a former three-time World Champion and Olympic Gold medallist
at the 2000 Sydney Games, formed a close bond with Winston Gordon
while the pair competed on the world stage.
“We had Tony Sweeney from
the Budokwai come down which was great and my friend Mr Inoue
which was a huge honour,” said Gordon, who won gold at the Slovenian
European Cup on 19 June.
“We were delighted that
both could share such a memorable evening with us,” he added.
Gordon’s long-term colleague
and former coach, Eric Bonti, said: “The Award is down to everyone
who has been involved in judo here, it also recognises the rich
history of Ernest Bevin where judo goes right back to the 70’s.”
“Without the school’s assistance
in particularly the headmaster Mike Chivers we’d have been unable
to integrate the club development along with the schools Judo
programme.”
Bonti added: “The BJA has
also been instrumental in providing assistance and resources which
has enabled the Greenhouse Judo Development Programme to flourish
and we’d like to acknowledge this.”
The British Judo Association’s
London Development Officer, Tim Edwards, hailed the club’s celebratory
evening.
“The whole evening was
a fantastic event,” he said.
“Around 40 juniors and
40 seniors took part in the session with Kosei Inoue including
brothers Jermaine and Theo-Spalding McIntosh, who had been training
with Winston all week.
“The London Area President
Tony Sweeney awarded Winston Gordon with their Clubmark certificate,
as well as awarding Wandsworth, the winning boy’s team at the
London Youth Games, with their coveted trophy.”
Club Chairman Brian Watts,
Club Secretary Andrew Savage and Volunteer Coordinator Sandy Lewis
were all thanked for their efforts in securing the club’s newly-awarded
status.
The club train at Ernest
Bevin College, SW17 7DF. Boys and girls train on Monday and Thursday
from 18:00 – 19:30 with men and women training on the same days
at 19:30 – 21:00.
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