TAVISTOCK based Drake Judo Club had a team of 18 players representing England at the Commonwealth Judo Championships and returned with a medal haul of four gold medals, one silver and two bronze.

Hosted over five days at the University of Wolverhampton, the event involved more than 1,000 athletes including squads from as far as New Zealand, Australia, India, Malta, South Africa, as well as all the four home nations.

Brother and sister players Max Gregory (aged 18) and Cordelia Gregory (16) both took gold in the junior event with Cerys Callard (19) taking bronze.

Max is the current British champion, British number one and ranked in the top 100 players in the world while Cordelia is a three times and current British champion.

Husband and wife team Mark and Kylie Adams both took gold in the Masters, as did Ros Hopkins. Mark Adams is a former British champion and a European and World Masters medallist. He did very well securing a Commonwealth Silver medal to complete his collection while Kylie Adams is a two times British champion and a European medallist.

Ros Hopkins’ daughter, Alanna, earned a bronze in the girls’ Heavyweight Category on day three while Cordelia Gregory won bronze in the Cadets Juniors and securing a Bronze.

Drake Judo Club chairman Ross Taylor said: ‘We have been preparing very hard over the last nine months for this competition and I am extremely happy with the results.

‘Everyone including those who didn’t make the podium fought with spirit and determination and of those who did medal, placed us in a position where we as a club from Devon would have finished higher in the medal table than Northern Ireland.’