SAMURAI Judo Club black belt Martin Brown was celebrating after defeating the contest line-up and passing the technical theory exam to move from first level black belt to second level at a grading in Manchester.

The 23 year-old light heavyweight won his first two contests comfortably to gain his line-up and then defeated a further three players in a row without a rest, all of them by maximum points. Each one of his opponents was a black belt.

Meanwhile, a junior grading held at Kidderminster's Samurai Judo Club, the main judo grading centre for South Midlands, resulted in promotions for players from the home club and also Bewdley Judo Club's David Sullivan.

Over a dozen clubs took part, with independent examiners selected by the British Judo Association.

Top of the pile was Ben Newbury, who was promoted to middle brown belt, whilst Ben Dowling and Ryan Pitcock were also promoted to brown, giving the Samurai a hat-trick of new brown belts and taking their junior brown belt tally to six in total.

For details about starting judo phone 07971 869234 or visit the website on www.samurai.org.uk.

Junior Grading

Brown 2: Newbury

Brown 1: Dowling, Pitcock

Blue 1: Matthew Lowe

Green 2: Matt Beveridge

Green 1: Alex Dowling

Orange 3: Poppy James, Hannah Cooper, Amy Millington, Simon Cooper, Sarah Biles, David Sullivan (Bewdley).

Orange 2: Kathryn Lowe, Caris Butler Andrew Beveridge, Daniel Spivey Toby James.

Orange 1: Lottie Millington Ross Priest Edward Connor,

Yellow 3: Michael Circus

Red 3: George Leverton, Amy Lawton, Emma Eaton, Christie Galloway, Cara Galloway,

Red 2: Deanna Murphy, Diana Barber-Hunt

Red 1: Ben Davis, Victoria Davis, Lianne Gillespie-Akar.

Senior Grading

Black 2 2nd dan: Brown.