Laurie leads the way for Rush in Swedish contest

From left, Rush Judos Laurie Rush, Jemima Cadge, Jessica Rush, Nicole Wood and Pete Brent in Sweden.

Three of the judoka, Nicole Wood, Evie Halvey-Jacobs and Lewis Fryer, earned gold medals in their regular age group and went on to fight in higher age categories to secure second medals, Nicole and Lewis taking silver and Evie a bronze.

Day one started with the U13s and U18s categories, with the results as follows:

Gold: Nicole Wood and Gergo Berendi.

Silver: Jessica Rush, Jemima Cadge and Lewis Fryer.

Bronze: Laurie Rush, Evie Halvey Jacobs, Imaan Shah, Marcel Berendi and Sam Collins.

Day two saw the U15s and men’s categories:

Gold: Evie Halvey-Jacobs and Lewis Fryer.

Silver: Nicole Wood.

Bronze : Maggie Rumsby Ferris.

The men’s category was the much-awaited contest as coach Laurie Rush was cheered on by the Rush squad mat-side.

Competing in the 0ver-81kg category, he smashed his way through the rounds only losing out to two judoka – one considerably heavier, the other considerably younger.

He said: “What was I thinking? 24kg and 24-years-old but two wins, two loses and a bronze medal.”

Rush managed to take fourth spot on the medal table out of 36 clubs.

Meanwhile, back home at the London Area competition, Rush’s Ben Hasler took gold in the U27kg group with ippon wins on all three fights for his fifth gold in a row.