SHEBBEAR College pupil Mike Crowhurst from Okehampton, took part in a British Judo Council judo course in Bridgwater, Somerset. It consisted of a number of training sessions and concluded with an intensive grading session.

Mike had to fight four other competitors and carry out five different sequences of judo kata —demonstration of skills in throwing, strangling and ground holds. He won all his fights and completed his kata successfully. Prior to this judo course Mike had one brown bar on his judo belt.

The examiners were so impressed with his attitude and fighting performance they awarded him with the 'Spirit of Judo' and gave him three grades on his belt to one black tab — two away from gaining his junior black belt. He was the only person to gain more than one tab and the only one to receive the award.

Considering Mike has taken a big step back in judo recently due to concentrating on school this was an exceptionally out-standing performance.