Olympian Sarah Clark and Kimberley Renicks got the GB team’s campaign off to an excellent start as they won gold medals in their respective weight categories at the 2009 GB World Cup.

Clark (-63kg) came out for her final against Hilde Dexler (Austria) looking confident and got off to a good start as she looked in control of the mat work.

The European silver medallist almost lost the bout when Dexler just missed throwing the Brit. Clark kept her cool and threw Dexler for ippon with the clock saying 2:39.

“I feel good,” Clark said. “It felt good today. I am pleased that I gave people something to shout about. My build up has been good all year it is just a shame that the World Championships weren’t as good.

“Looking ahead I need to make sure that I am making progress month by month and I know I have been doing that I just didn’t do myself justice at the World Championships.”

Dexler won silver with the two bronze medals going to Anne Laure Poli (France) and Esther Stam (Netherlands).

Kimberley Renicks (-48kg) took charge of her final and was rewarded with an early yuko score. The Kanokwai player dominated the floor work as she aimed to capitalise on her yuko.

Renicks fought hard throughout the final and when the clock ticked down the gold medal looked to be hers. She saw off a couple of late challenges from Lia Kearney (Ireland) and as the bell rang the Lanarkshire –based Judoka knew she had secured the victory.

Renicks was crowned 2009 GB World Cup Champion with one yuko score. Kearney took the silver and the bronze medals went to Taciana Lima and Daniela Polzin (Both Brazil).

“ I am actually really happy with that result. It was the first time that I have beaten her,” Renicks said.

“Last year I finished fifth at this event so it is better to come back here and medal. The home crowd has been really important. That support kept me going.”

Competing in the repechage of the -60kg category James Millar took an excellent bronze medal after taking an ippon against Murad Abdulaev (Russia).

Millar looked strong from the start of the match and he sealed the ippon over Abdulaev with 3:17 on the clock.

“I have mixed feelings about my performance,” Millar said. “I made one mistake against the Russian that is in the final and so I feel that I should have been in that final.

“In the bronze medal fight I had a lapse in concentration and lost a score which led to the golden score. My emotions are mixed because a bronze medal is better than nothing though.”

The second bronze went to Sofiane Milous (France) while the silver was won by Julien Ottaviani (France). The 2009 GB World Cup Champion is Russia’s Denis Lavrentiev.

World Championship Judoka Sophie Johnstone won bronze in the women’s -52kg repechage after performing well in her repechage final.

Camberley’s Johnstone finished her final with a waza-ari and yuko over Miriam Polak (Netherlands) as she finished with the bronze.

“I am delighted with my medal,” Clark said. “I got back from worlds and I had lost in my first match to the eventual gold medallist but I knew I was feeling like I was in form so I am really happy to come here and show I am in form. It felt really good out there today.

“The home crowd has been so important today. I got silver last year so I knew what the crowd would be like. It has focused me more to want to fight at 2012. Everything I am doing now is geared towards the London Olympics.”

The gold medal was won by Ilse Heylan (Belgium), Raquel Silva (Brazil) won the silver and the second bronze went to Emilie Lafont (France).

Alex Farbon had a tough fight for his bronze medal as his match against Martin Thiblin (Norway) went to golden score.

Farbon fought off Thiblin’s challenges but couldn’t quite make the breakthrough in the match and it was in the golden score that he took the yuko that won him the medal.

“I had a lot of tough matches today that required a lot of hard work but it all paid off and I got my bronze medal.

“It is a strong category for us and we have a lot of decent players at that weight so I was lucky enough to have got the bronze today.

“After worlds I came back and just worked really hard in my training because I wanted to come here and win. There were a lot of close ones for me today. I went close in the quarter final and I was hoping to have made the final but I have come away with the bronze and that is good.”

The 2009 GB World Cup Champion is Guillaume Chaine (France). Canadian Nick Tritton won the silver medal and the second bronze went to Mohamed Riad (France).

Media Contact:

Nicola Turner

British Judo Association

(t) 01509 631695

nicolaturner@britishjudo.org.uk