Training Camp’s

January – February

Georgia

“I kickstarted 2025 with an intensive four-week training camp in Georgia, a judo powerhouse, from January 17th to February 14th. The camp began with a week in Gori, focusing primarily on randori (sparring), followed by a physically demanding week of altitude training in the Bakuriani mountains at nearly 2,000m above sea level—something quite different from my usual routine. This conditioning block pushed my limits and was an invaluable addition to my training.

“From there, I travelled to the capital, Tbilisi, where the focus shifted back to randori, training alongside some of the top athletes on the circuit. Spending a full month away from home is never easy, but the quality of training made it more than worthwhile, and my performances in the following competitions proved just that.”

Warsaw, Poland

“After returning home for a short tapering period, I competed in the Warsaw European Open on February 23rd—my second European event at -100kg. I reaffirmed my ability in this category with a strong performance, securing 5th place.

“I won my first-round match comfortably before facing the No. 2 seed from Georgia. This was a great opportunity to showcase the hard work I’d put in, and I came out on top, advancing to the quarter-finals. There, I faced a Brazilian opponent and, after a tough battle, lost in golden score. This put me into the repechage against an athlete from Kazakhstan, where I secured a win and earned a spot in the bronze medal match.

“In an unfortunate turn of events, I had to face a British teammate whom I train with daily. After an intense 10-minute contest, I narrowly lost. While disappointing, I was proud of my performance and happy for my teammate. More importantly, my matches were highly competitive, proving to myself that I’m not far from reaching my goals.”

Paris, France

“Following the competition, I travelled directly to Paris to continue training abroad and maximize my potential. Alongside four teammates, I trained at one of France’s national centres as well as a club, gaining invaluable experience that I wouldn’t have access to in the UK.

“This was my second time training in Paris, and I’ve begun to build stronger connections within the French judo community. I’ve been welcomed back at any time and have received invitations to train at several clubs. France, another judo powerhouse with incredible depth, provides a diverse range of training partners, making every session a valuable learning experience.

“I’m looking forward to continuing this momentum in the coming months and am grateful for the support from NESC that allows me to pursue these opportunities.”