2009 British Open Sombo/Sambo Championships

SPANISH DOMINATE FOR 2nd YEAR

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This years competition was moved to April with the hope of attracting more competitors, sadly this was not the case as with Judo and all Grappling sports they have taken a down turn in the UK, this does not seem the case with Foreigners as we had players from Spain, Holland, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan as well as England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. One wonders why we have not had an entry from Wales for 20 years.

The juniors were very poorly supported again a sign of the time we have a generation who have no interest in competitive sport or hard work except very few. As expected the Warriors Grappling Academy based in Sittingbourne dominated this event taking most of the medals, Jamie Marzetti took Gold in his weight class but looked very lack lusted but this changed later, as a very big lad Coach John Clarke decide to put him in the Senior event where he fought in the u74k class and in this event he certainly came alive. He had a spectacular win against Frank Ningbus Holland; Frank is well known to UK players as an excellent Judoka and a Dutch international Sombo Player. Although he did not get into the medals he is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

To qualify for the World Championships in Greece in November you had to be the highest placed British fighter in the tournament Martyn Coyne from Spitfire Judo and Sombo Club primarily a Judo player will represent GB at u68k, Daniel Diamond Warriors Grappling Academy has been selected for the u74k, Daniel one again a quality Judo Player from Faversham has taken to other forms of grappling like a duck to water, he has won medals in Sombo, Kurash and Belt Wrestling recently he has taken up MMA Submission Wrestling under the directorship of Martin Clarke a good prospect for a World place. Danny Carrott Warriors selected u82k, Danny was not expected to enter as he has been suffering with injuries but he desperately wanted to compete in the Worlds so he took the pain to win a Bronze and become the highest placed. His performance was well down on what we expect but it shows his character and superiority over other players that he can win with an injury. U90k went to the Old war horse from Scotland Johannes Alder who just missed out on a World medal last year. Leigh Till from the Cage Fighters Club has already represented GB in Sport CombatSambo but this year he has been selected for that and the World Sambo Championships. New Boy 36 year old John Laver has only being doing the sport for 8 months but at 17 stone is powerful weightlifter with massive amount of strength and is very fit. With GB having no real Heavyweights John could become a leading light as a Heavyweight he is not to old and training a Britain’s leading Sombo club Warriors he will get the right training. It is unusual to take some one with so little experience to the Worlds but since Martin Clarke World Silver in 1986, GB has had no Heavyweights as such so the selectors have decided to take John to give him the experience of World competition.

The Sport CombatSombo which allows punching and kicking was a non starter with only 3 entries from GB Lee Till u100k, Darren Richardson and John Laver 0100k, Lee automatically is selected for the Worlds this is Lee 3^rd World Championship. Darren and John were to have a fight off but Daren injured his Knee in the Sombo event and had to with draw. It is hoped to have fight off in the future to decide the place. The British CombatSombo Association get lots of enquires about this form of competition but it is always talk and no do, the Warriors intend running a Sport CombatSombo event either in Sittingbourne or in August in Capel le Ferne.

The British Sombo Federation have just introduced a “Master of Sombo” award which has been sanctioned by the World Governing body FIAS. This is for people who have made a major impact on the Sport of Sombo, at last years World Championships FIAS award 5 Outstanding Service Awards to Bronze John Clarke, Paul Sawyer, Colin Carrott, Silver Robin Hyslop, Gold Martin Clarke because of this great Honour John Clarke, Robin Hyslop, Colin Carrott and Paul Sawyer were made “Master of Sombo”

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