JEMIMA Duxberry is set to make her debut for Great Britain this weekend – much to the delight of her father.
The 15-year-old Devizes teenager is the number one U17 in the country in the U57kg weight division and will take part in the Spanish Cadet Open in Madrid, which begins on Saturday.
“I’m so excited and it’s to a point where I just had to sew the Great Britain patches onto her kit myself,” said dad Dave, who trains Jemima at Devizes Budo Club.
“You always think that she’s good enough to represent her country but it’s still thrilling when it actually happens.
“She’s done so well and she’s got a great balance between her judo and her school-work at the moment.”
The young starlet re-enforced her position as the number one in her weight category by beating top-spot rival and namesake Jemima Yeats Brown to win gold at the Midlands U20 Open in Walsall on Sunday.
“She was nervous about fighting the other Jemima because they hadn’t met in competition before,” said coach Jason Parsons.
“She knew it was going to be a tough fight but in the end she threw her for maximum points.
“She dominated and finished with a really spectacular move that was very impressive.”
As the Gazette reported last month Duxberry, a member of the England Talent Development Squad, is due to try out for the European Cadet Championships in Kendal, Cumbria, in March.
The Midlands Open proved to be a successful tournament for youngsters from Devizes Budo Club.
There were bronze medals for U20 Rachel McCullar in the U57kg group and 11-year-old Amy Oram in the U12 U32kg division.
Holly Gorton also came away with the bronze in the U17s U70kg section.
Twelve-year-old Pammie Luffman came agonisingly close to picking up a fourth bronze for Devizes but had to settle for fifth place in the U14 U44kg division.
Lightweight U14 Elliot Burbidge was due to compete in the U38kg boys division but missed the competition after contracting tonsillitis.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article