6 players from Murakwai travelled to St Helens for the North West Open last weekend and returned with 2 Bronze medals won by Cameron Kelly & Jodie Kee. Kirsty Kee just missed out on a Bronze finishing in 5th Place, while both Alan Kerr and Daniel Mayhew both finished in 9th place, Rory Kelly was unlucky not to be placed.

Cameron was unlucky to lose his first fight 2 yuko’s to 1 after the referees decided not to award him a wazari for his seonage which they decided broke the u12 rules as he dropped to his knees to finish the throw, Cameron went on to win his next 3 fights to claim bronze in the u46kg category.

Jodie got off to a good start in her fiirst competition at 52kgs winning her first 2 fights putting her in the Semi-final with Jade Lewis from Wales. Unfortunately Jodie lost the semi-final after being strangled but managed to win her last fight to secure the bronze.

Kirsty Kee won her quarter final contest but lost her semi-final to Sara Pang, this left Kirsty in a Bronze medal fight with Louise Brown from Ireland which went all the way to golden score where Kirsty lost after a mix up in the penalties carried forward into Golden Score. Alan Kerr won 2 fights out of 4 leaving him in 9th place in the highly competitive u73kg category, while Daniel Mayhew won 1 fight out of 3 in the u55kg category also leaving him in 9th Place. Rory Kelly lost both his fights in an extremely tough u66kg category.

We would like to say a massive thank you to Pete Blood and SKK judo club for looking after us, letting us stay in their dojo, and getting us to the boat after our flight was cancelled!!