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Lauren (16), from St. Albans, Herts, was the British Junior Champion in Judo holding both the BJA and BKC titles at Under 63kg. At only 14, she confirmed her position as the country's Number One. She represents Great Britain for her age group.
She now has her sights set on the European Championships and is aiming to compete in the European Youth Olympics.
Lauren has been a Young Blade since the initiative was established in 2004. She was presented with a cheque for £1000 by Colin Jackson and Will King at the Jubilee Gym, Covent Garden, London.
Please scroll down to read the latest updates and news from Lauren.
Update: 18 December 2006) by Lauren
It has come to the end of the Judo year, and I have achieved a lot of the goals I set myself at the beginning of the year. I received all of my points for my black belt, completing my theory I am now an official black belt under the BJA. My first competition (part of the selection events for the Junior Europeans and World Championships) of the year with the Junior squad abroad in Portugal and I picked up my first Bronze medal, I lost second fight to a Tuisine for ended up with the silver but my next fight I beat an old opposition from my cadet 17s years, an Italian girl who competed in the youth Olympics, to get into the bronze medal fight, I then had to fight another Tuisine girl who I beat for the bronze.
My next Junior selection event was in Estonia, unfortunately I went out there unwell and I wasn't really fit enough, I managed to pick up a bronze medal but I lost to a British girl who I had previously beaten well at the Junior Trials.
One of my highlights of my year was being selected to go to Cuba to train out there for two weeks with some of the top female athletes around in Judo. Unfortunately again I was not well, but I was determined to go. It was a amazing experience to see how they train, the conditions they train in and how different it is to our country. The heat was almost unbearable in a stuffy Dojo having to wear a thick Judo suit. I was then selected to go to Poland and Germany for training camps, which turned out to be some of the hardest training I ever had to endure.
It then came down to the selections for the Junior Europeans and World Championships, due to me and my rival both having beaten each other, me with a gold, and two bronzes and her with a silver and a bronze it worked out she was to be taken to the European championships in Estonia and I was selected to Represent Great Britain in the Junior World Championships in the Dominican Republic, I was happy I got the better deal!
The humidity was again like it was in Cuba so I was ready for it. My draw was done the night before the competition, and I saw that I was first up with the previous Junior World Champion, the Yank. She ended up beating me with an arm lock which she then did on the following two opponents. fortunately she pulled me through. My next fight was against a girl from Uzbekistan, the fight was going well as I was up with 5 points, but then near to the end of the fight she caught me, and I was out of the competition.
The last competition I took part in was the Junior Trials, I went up a weight to the 70kgs only weighing a couple of kgs over. I came first in my pool and made it through to the knockouts, I got through to the semi-finals where I met an old British rival form my previous weight who had also gone up. She got a small score against me and I managed to get one back but it wasn't enough and she beat me then for my bronze medal, and receiving 3rd place. Due to the ways the pools were made and then knock out put together the girl I beat first up in my pool went through as second to me but came out with the silver medal.
Update: 14 March 2006) by Lauren
I was selected for the Matsumua cup in Austria, a senior competition, however lost my first fight to a Japanese player based in toki University. Unfortunately she lost her next fight which knocked me out of the competition.
Last weekend I fought in the Midlands Kuy grade competition, winning the gold medal and getting 20 points towards my black belt.
I have also just been selected for a junior tournament in Portugal which will take place in two weeks time. Next week I am competing in the Ipswich senior competition to try and get the last 40 points for my black belt, so fingers crossed!
Update: 20 January 2006
Over Christmas and into the new year Lauren has been training and visiting her local gym and it has already paid off. On the first weekend of January Lauren fought in Antwerp at an Under 20 years tournament and won the Gold.
Last weekend she competed at the British Under 20 Championship held at Walsall which is probably the most important event for her this year as the results determine those that are selected onto the British Junior squad.
Following on from last years bronze Lauren won Gold this year to become British U-20 Champion. As she is still sixteen she has a further three years in this age group to continue to develop.
She has a number of further competitions over the next few months whilst trying to keep up with her A level studies and we will keep you updated as to what is happening.
Update: November 2005) from Lauren
Recently I have competed in the Heart of England tournament in the NIA in Birmingham, having some tough fights with a few rivals. I had 4 fights and got to the finals taking the gold medal.
I also fought in the Cadet National under 17s last week. With 4 fights unfortunately losing my third fight on a tight decision but I came back to take a bronze medal.
I’ve recently done a Grading transferring over to top senior brown belt I had 4 fights each lasting within 5 seconds, so hopefully soon I will go for my black belt. My next big tournament will be British junior trials u20s to keep my place in the junior squad.
Update: 16 October 2005) from Lauren
I competed in the Heart of England tournament in the NIA in Birmingham, having some tough fights with a few rivals. I had four fights and got to the finals taking the gold medal.
I also did the Cadet Nationals under 17s last week. I had four fights, unfortunately losing my third fight on a tight decision but I came back to take a bronze medal. I've recently done a Grading transferring over to top senior brown belt I had four fights each lasting within 5 seconds, so hopefully soon I will go for my black belt. My next big tournament will be British junior trials under 20s to keep my place in the junior squad.
Results Update: 30 May 2005
British U-20 Champion 2005.
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Lauren on the podium, France.
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British Cadet Open Championships, Gold, Aug-04
British Youth Trials (U-20), Bronze
Selected for British Junior Elite Performance Squad, Dec-04
Midland U-20, Gold, Feb-05
London Junior Open, Gold, Feb-05
Tournoi De Rouen Tournament (France), Gold, Mar-05
British Schools Championships, Gold, Apr-05
Mierlo International Tournament (Holland), Gold, May-05
Willesden International Tournament (London) U-20, Gold, May-05
Update: 28 March 2005) from Lauren
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I then fought at the London Junior Open at the Excel centre, The Hertfordshire schools Championships and the Willesden Junior Open in London over the next few weeks again winning all my fights. This weekend I travelled over to Rouen in France by Eurotunnel to compete at the Tournoi De Rouen. We left at 3.00 am in the morning to get their and the competition was very busy with some good opposition. I had 17 girls in my group and as I hadn't fought in France before I didn't know what to expect. My first fight was at 14.00 and I managed to throw my opponent twice for minor scores before holding her down to win .
I then won my next two fights by ippon throws against french girls and met a local girl in the semi final. The fight lasted twenty seconds at which point I threw her with a drop Tai Toshi flat on her back for ippon. The final was against another British squad player who I had fought in the final at the Midlands under 20 in February. The result was also the same winning the final after two minutes of the fight with two scores and an ippon to finish with.
I have a number of potential competitions lined up in April / May and I have also been selected to fight for Great Britain at the end of April in the Czech Republic followed by a training camp where I am hoping to meet up with some of the Eastern European players.
Update: 8 December 2004
I competed in the BJA (British Judo Association) under 20 Championships. I had seven fights most lasting around three minutes. I won my first two matches taking me through to the second round. I then came through first in my pool taking me to the third round. I then lost two fights and won my last fight taking the third position and a bronze medal. I have earned a place on the Junior Under 20s Squad which will start in January 2005.
My next competition will be in January 2005, the Dutch Cup. This is one of the qualifiers for the cadet Europeans and will also count towards the Youth Olympics.
Update: 21 November 2004
I fought at the Heart of England having four fights. I won my first two fights so taking me through to the semi-finals which I lost. My next fight was for bronze, which I won.
I took the 1st place at the NHC (Northern Home Counties) trials qualifying me for the nationals. I had two fights taking me through to the semi-final, and then I got caught for a score which I couldn't get back. My final fight was bronze which I won.
I then took part in a BJC (British Judo Council) competition in Southampton which I successfully won taking the gold medal. My next competition will be taking place next weekend - The BJA (British Judo Association) under 20 championships. This competition is the trials to get into the junior squad.
Update: 20 August 2004
I went to the Europeans last month and got to the last 16 before getting armlocked by the French champion. Unfortunately she then lost to the Dutch champion who went on to win the European title and as a result I did not get another chance to progress to fight for bronze which is a pity as I could have beaten a lot of the girls there.
The good thing is that the competition was for years 88 - 89 so I will get another chance next year and hopefully the Youth Olympics as well where I will be another year older and that much more experienced.
Since then I have been back in training spending four days at Bath University and every day so far during the holidays at either my club or the high performance centre at High Wycombe. The competitions continue and I have fought at two major events so far in August.
On the 7.08.04 the first competition was the British Cadet Open held at the Institute of sport in Sheffield. This event was the first of the three qualifiers for players to make up the British squad for next year and although I have already been pre selected for the squad due to going to the Europeans my coach felt I needed to fight there anyway.
My group consisted of fourteen girls and I won the competition with three ippon throws and by wazri in the final. This gave me 1,000 points under the qualifying procedure with the next qualifying tournament being the Heart of England to be held at the National Indoor Arena Birmingham in September.
Following this I competed at the Lakeland International in Kendal on the 14.08.04 again winning Gold with three straight ippons beating all the other medallists from Sheffield.
Update: 22 June 2004
I really enjoyed meeting Colin Jackson and all the other Young Blades at Covent the other week. Like Jason (Smith), following the qualifiers I have been selected for the European Championships at under 63kg. I have been training at Bisham Abbey for a week in preparation for the Europeans and am going to Kendal for three days at the end of the week.