For Sarah Clark, the immediate effect of losing her first fight in the Beijing Olympics was one of understandable depression. “I did have the feeling, for a short while, that I did not want to go through all that any more. I had put so much in and got nothing out, and I felt I deserved more for my efforts. Everything in the build-up was good but I got caught when I was in the lead” (thrown for ippon by Claudia Heill of Austria). “Did I lose concentration? I don’t know.”

However, after a few days, she had come to terms with her defeat at the hands of admittedly an established competitor, someone who had finished second in the 2004 Games and went on to fight for the bronze medal in Beijing. Sarah determined to aim for 2012 and London but with one significant change. She would move down to the 57kgs category from the under 63kgs division, in which she had been so prominent in recent years, including winning the 2006 European title.

Most fighters, as they get older, tend to go up weight classes, rather than down. However, Sarah, now 31, says: “For several years, I had been on the light side in the 63kgs class, sometimes weighing 61kgs and people had suggested dropping down to me in the past. Now I wish I had made the move a couple of years ago.”She has been helped in the adjustment by the nutritionist, Adam Carey, who advised Euan Burton, as part of Sir Clive Woodward’s project for the Beijing Games. Adam reassured her that physically she could make the lower limit and she has altered her diet, slightly increasing the amount of protein she consumes and decreasing the amount of carbohydrates. Sarah says:”I had a really good diet before. But, now, it is 100 percent better.”

Her first international event at her new bodyweight was in the Belgium ‘B’ tournament last January. She won that and then the following month, she got a bronze medal in the ‘A’ tournament in the Czech Republic, a performance which ensured a place for the European Championship in Tbilisi in April. Sarah says:”I have slightly increased the amount of running and bicycling and, in weights, have cut down on the number of repetitions, often doing only 2-3. The biggest thing I have learnt is that after all these years of competitive judo, I can reduce the volume of training to get the best out of myself. Most of the sessions are shorter.”

Although tall, at 5 feet 8 inches even for the under 63kgs, she now towers over all other opponents in the lighter division. She says: “Although people are faster in the under 57kgs, I have usually practised with people, who are shorter than me anyway and I certainly feel more dominant in the lighter class.” Her height is useful for her two main techniques, uchimata and, particularly, osotogari, where her long legs can hook in on an opponent.

So it proved in the European Championships in Georgia, where she was the only Briton to get a medal. It was not that she had an easy draw. She beat Guila Quintavalle of Italy, the Olympic Champion in her first bout and then Ioulietta Boukouvala of Greece, winner of the Paris tournament in the semi-final. In the final, she lost the decision to Telma Monteiro, the Portuguese World Champion, although some observers felt victory could have gone to Clark. Sarah says: “All the way through, I felt I did the basics really well, positive gripping and a positive body posture and so the throws should come.”

She does most of her training just outside Edinburgh, at Ratho, the Scottish judo performance centre, although she comes down to England for squad sessions. Sarah owes an enormous debt to her coach, Billy Cusack, saying:”I am under no illusions that having him makes all the difference for me. Even if he is not at the mat side, you can hear what he is saying from the stands. That support is where contests are won or lost. Psychologically, it’s great help knowing that he is there. And he understands me so well.” Perhaps in London, in 2012, she will finally fulfil her, and also Billy’s, ambition by winning a medal.

By John Goodbody

© David Finch