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British Judo has added
former two-time European Championship runner-up and Olympic judoka
Sophie Cox to the 20-strong team for the 2010 World Championships
in Tokyo, Japan, on 9 to 13 September.
The team was announced
on Wednesday, with the popular 28-year-old, from Littleborough,
Rochdale, having only made her return to international competition,
after a five-year absence, at the German European Cup on the weekend
of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 August.
The 2005 British Open
winner showcased her celebrated talents by claiming an impressive
bronze medal before being assessed for World Championship selection
during a post-event training camp.
As one of Britain’s
foremost judo players Cox competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics
before calling time on her career at the premature age of 23 in
2005.
The highly-regarded
fighter moved to Phuket, Thailand, after retiring where she quickly
settled after securing a job as an English teacher. The former
under 57kg fighter continued to practice the sport in Asia in
order to maintain her fitness and to the keep the door open to
a competitive return.
Despite a five-year
break from international competition and negotiating a drop in
weight class, Cox fought with trademark tenacity in Germany as
she made a firm impression in the new territory of the under 52kg
division. Cox beat Miranda Wolfslag of the Netherlands and Germany’s
Jenny Nisser to capture a bronze medal through the repechage system
and lay claim to a place in the World Championship team.
After coming through
the training camp the decision was made to install Cox as Britain’s
only under 52kg campaigner at the sport’s showpiece event in Japan.
Karen Roberts, British
Judo Association’s Performance Operations Manager, explained the
timing of Sophie’s return.
“Sophie and her personal
coach Brian Moore, from Bacup Judo Club, contacted us a few months
back to say ‘what kind of pathway does she need’ and we said we’d
need to see her compete in a B tournament.
“Germany was always
going to be her first event back and she went out there with Brian
having entered herself into the tournament.”
The Bacup Judo Club
product was praised for her efforts in the competition and the
post-event training camp.
“I was very impressed
with the way Sophie competed, I think it’s always a sign of a
good athlete when they’re not fighting at 100 percent but still
manage to win a medal. She fought consistently but with the break
she’ll have to work on reaction times and adjust to the rule changes.
Taking that into consideration it was a very positive first experience
back for her.
“In the training camp
Performance Coach for the senior team Jane Bridge and Head Coach
Patrick Roux wanted to see her on the mat for an extended time,
as in competitions you’re only on the mat for a short period.
In a camp you may have up to ten randori practices per session
which provides another environment to see whether an athlete is
at this level and how they cope with the world’s best as well
as measure their work ethic and how someone fits into the team.”
Prior to returning to
England the long-time British standout was working at the Phuket
International Academy, a new school which has a state of the art,
sustainable facility which focuses on education, sports, arts
and wellness.
The Lancashire all-rounder
is also known for her sporting feats off the mat, having entered
the Guiness Book of Records by becoming the first female to play
rugby at Wembley, when her Rochdale Schools team contested an
exhibition game before rugby league's Challenge Cup final between
Wigan and Widnes in 1993.
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