DEVIZES judoka Tom Reed is hoping the knee ligament injury that sidelined him for almost two months is finally behind him as he prepares for April’s European Championships.

The 25-year-old injured himself at January’s British Trials at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, and only made his competitive comeback last Sunday, at the England Senior Open in the same City.

Reed picked up a silver medal in his U81kg category and is now fully focused on the European Championships in Istanbul, which begin on April 21, injury-free.

“I injured myself in the second fight in the British Championships but I didn’t realise until afterwards what I’d done,” he said.

“Silver on the weekend was a little bit disappointing to be honest because I would have liked to have won there, but it was just good to get a few matches in.

“I felt a bit tired afterwards but I didn’t stop training in the last few months and I’ve been along to a few training camps too.

“I haven’t had any problems recently so hopefully it’s all cleared up now and I can concentrate on training and competing.”

Reed is due to fly out to Turkey with the 19-strong British squad on April 19 but first turns his attentions to this weekend’s Senior European Cup event in Sarajevo.

The Great Britain star added: “It’s going to be a tough one out there because I’m using it as preparation for the European Championships and a lot of the top athletes have got the same idea, so they’ll be there too.”

Meanwhile, one of Reed’s Devizes Judo Club proteges has taken the first steps towards an international career after training with the England development squad for the first time on Tuesday.

Elliot Burbidge, 13, earned an invitation to train with the squad after picking up a silver medal in the U42kg category at Sunday’s British Schools Championships, also in Sheffield, competing for Melksham Oak School.