MEMBERS of Kidderminster Samurai Judo Club have been busy working towards new gradings.

Top of the new grades were senior brown belts awarded to Rob Starbuck, Matthew Martin and Nick Ashen.

Senior Italian newcomer Giorgia Rubini was also confirmed as a brown belt in the British grading system ; like Rob, Matt and Nick, she is hoping to start gaining the points needed for black belt soon.

Meanwhile, Nick’s son Jake Ashen topped the junior grade list for both club and county by being promoted to junior brown belt, the highest grade in the junior system.

Staying with the seniors, Jake McAteer was promoted to senior blue belt, Emma Martin and Anthony Haywood from the parents session were both promoted to green belt, whilst Chris Houghton, Toni Waugh and Gail Bullock all gained their first senior red belt grades.

Back in the juniors, Loic Keasey moved to middle blue belt and Cerys Jones became a blue belt, blue being the next colour down from brown. Next down from blue is green, and Callum Spencer, Dillon Walker and James Harrison all moved up to top green belt, just one grade away from blue, whilst Evan Turner joined the green belt club. Maddi Haywood and Maddi Averill both moved to top orange belt, whilst Rhea Turner, Katy Jennings, Harrison Flello, Sophie Davis and Mateo Allen all moved to middle orange and three stars of the future, Luke Phillips, Maddi Averill and Sophie Davis, both gained their orange belts, with Maddi moving directly to top orange.

Isaac Sobolewski and Josh Walker both moved to top yellow, whilst Scott Hulbert and Luke Jahromi went to middle yellow belt. Six players gained their yellow belts: Jordan Phillips, Joe Blanchfield, Edward Martin, Joel Haywood, Ida Chamberlain and Zac Westwood.

Anna Baddeley, Harry Hannon-Homer, Max Baker all moved to top red belt, whilst the tremendous prospect Sophia Rose was fast-tracked straight to top red, as was Alexandra Collins. Six players went to middle red belt : Jasmine Southern, Lathan Spackman, Hannah Palmer, Elliot Harris, Cian Howell and Olivia Leung. Finally in the juniors, Megan Burford, Nick Deeley, Archie Minkin, Sam Collins, Hannah Houghton and Finn Doherty all gained their first grades as junior red belts.

For details about starting judo, telephone 0776 1122977 or visit the Samurai website on samurai.org.uk or their Facebook page.