KIDDERMINSTER judo star, Kate Walker, has been named as Worcestershire's junior sports personality of the year.

The 15-year-old Samurai Judo Club member was presented with the accolade at a ceremony at Worcester Rugby Club.

She qualified for the competition by winning the Wyre Forest Junior Sports Personality Award in January and saw off the challenge of all other award-winners from across Worcestershire to win the county prize.

It is the latest in a long line of successes for Kate, who is the first judo player ever to collect the honour.

Kate has been involved in the sport since she was eight and is currently rated as one of the brightest young prospects in the country.

She trains regularly with the Great Britain squad under the watchful eye of the chief coaches, Rowena Birch, Loretta Cusack and Kate Howey.

In the last year, Kate has won the British Cadet Championship and took silver at the British Junior National Championship and gold at the British Schools Championships.

At a recent selection event, she defeated all of the top British players in her category to confirm her current ranking of British number one.

Samurai coach, Andrew Haffner, said her ultimate aim was to represent Britain at the Olympics in 2008 or 2012.

She is training towards selection for the European Cadet Championships and European Youth Oly-mpics in the summer.

Kate, who recently became the youngest ever player in Worcestershire to be awarded a black belt, has also been named Midlands Referee of the Year two years in succession and has won awards for kata, the presentation form of judo.

On top of competing and officiating, she also coaches other players and combines her judo commitments with her schoolwork and playing the piano.

Her talent has also been recognised with grants from the Ray Mercer Sporting Foundation on three occasions.

The foundation, run by the Shuttle/Times & News, aims to encourage Wyre Forest's top sporting youngsters with cash aid.