TAVISTOCK based Drake Judo Club are celebrating after only 18 months since they founded they have returned from the British Championships with three bronze medals and a British champion.

The club travelled to Cardiff, to the Welsh Institute of Sport, based within the campus of Cardiff University earlier this month,

Club coach Ros Hopkins, aged 37, was competing in the Masters’ over 35 section. She thoroughly dominated her three contests winning all of them by a complete point or ‘Ippon’ – the equivalent to a knockout in boxing. Ros has previously been a GB Cadet and GB Junior in her youth and was keen to try and add the Masters title and subsequently be selected for the GB Masters’ Team. What made the win all the more amazing is that Ros is currently on the waiting list for shoulder surgery.

Ros said: ‘ I decided to postpone the surgery until after the British and now I’ve won it Ross is putting a lot of pressure on me to compete at the worlds.’

The ‘Ross’ she mentions is DJC Club chairman and coach Ross Taylor, aged 37, who said: ‘The 18 months since we founded has flown by and myself and now we have our first British Champion, hopefully the first of many.

‘The entire club are so proud of Ros, she has worked really hard at training and put in the hours in the dojo to secure this title,  im now hoping she decides to compete in Mexico next year at the world championships.’

Ros was part of a three person coaching team as the juniors had their turn to compete at the British Championships for Minors. Her daughter Alanna Hopkins, aged 11, fought with tremendous spirit and ended up securing a bronze medal .

Tavistock College student Reuben Frise, aged 11, had a marvellous first contest but was disqualified for a small infraction. Reuben also injured his arm in his first contest but did himself proud taking home the accolade of fifth best in the United Kingdom. Lucy Knape, 11, earned a bronze medal while Jake Brown, 11, finished joint ninth place while Bogdan Losonczi also took a well-deserved bronze medal. Tavistock College pupil Charlotte Hay finished sharing seventh place and targets to aim for including the British Schools Championships, in February.

Coaches on the day were black belts Charles Knape 47, Ros Hopkins and Ross Taylor.