A NEW judo season at Kidderminster's Samurai club began with the Heart of England Championships at Walsall.

The club came away with two golds, a silver and a bronze from their five competitors.

Leah Grosvenor has been busy during the summer at training camps in Italy and Scotland, as well as being a guest player with the senior World Championships preparation squad.

She took the gold ath the Heart of England competition with four wins from four - all with maximum scores.

Harry Ashen and James Harrison, both British Minors champions, moved up to the under-15 age range.

At the Heart of England event Harrison had a series of good wins and was unlucky not to reach the final, losing a semi-final which he was dominating but a maximum point throw in his last contest ensured the bronze medal.

Ashen had fewer players in his category but took a comfortable gold medal to start his new age band well.

Samurai's Olivia Turner, currently British silver medallist in the cadet age band is moving into the junior (under-21) age category.

She comfortably reached her final at the Heart of England competition where she narrowly lost to a Scottish player in extra time and so had to settle for silver.

The club is also celebrating the qualification of Olivia Turner, Mark Allen and James Walker as coaches.

The club is planning a new judo session on Thursdays from 5.45pm to 6.30pm, starting on October 11, for Special Needs players, which Olivia, who is European Special Needs champion, will lead.

For more information call 0776 1122977 or visit samurai.org.uk