Tri-Service

Armed Forces Judo Squad Gets Coached By Former Champ

Members of the UK Armed Forces Judo squad have enjoyed a training session with one of the leading coaches in the country ahead of next month's prestigious National Team Championships.

The current team boasts several Commonwealth Games medalists, and those with the potential to feature at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in four years time.

But, no matter how good you are, or how experienced, there is always the capacity to learn something new.

With one of the biggest events in the domestic Judo competition calendar, the National Team Championships, just a few weeks away, the UKAF squad enlisted the help of leading coach Luke Preston as part of their pre-tournament preparations.

Mr. Preston is a fifth dan and a former British champion and Commonwealth Games medalist.

When asked how far he thought some members of the armed forces could go in the sport, he had this to say:

"There's a lot of talent in the armed forces... there's a lot of events, world cups, grand prixs, grand slams, Europeans, World championships, so it's a stepping stone each year, but I think... for (some) in the armed services (they're) looking at the Tokyo Olympics."

The UKAF team have a few weeks to get to grips with their skills before using them at the national championships early next month.