Hamilton teenager Kevin Gordon won British Judo’s Male Cadet of the Year, following an incredible rise in the martial art.
While dad Colin is proud of the Calderside Academy pupil’s achievements, he says how much Kevin helps younger kids at Hibari-Kan Judo Club in Larkhall is more commendable.
However, Kevin is doing well already at under-21 level, having moved up recently, and became Scottish champion at his age level, while also winning bronze in the senior competition at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell.
Medals and trophies are piling up, with Kevin also taking bronze at the Bremen International Masters, which qualified him for the Cadet European championships.
Dad Colin said: “Kevin has done judo since he was eight years old. He’s doing his coaching badge as well, the young ones really look up to him and he does stand out – he’s 6ft 2ins with a mohawk!
“He got his black belt at 15, his second dan at 17, and is now collecting points for his third dan, but can’t get that until he’s 20.
“Kevin got an email from British Judo, saying he was a finalist, he went down to the awards in Warwick, and was Cadet of the Year, which is all the under-18s in Britain.
“It’s not bad for a kid from Whitehill!”
Colin added: “He was at the Scottish Championships, moved up an age category, and he is now a junior at under-21s.
“This is his first year and he’s Scottish champion, and got bronze as an adult.
“We’re very proud of him, but probably more so when you see him helping the little ones.
“He wins big competitions, some he’s expected to win, and others he’s there just to keep himself ticking over, but I’m more proud when he goes in early in the morning to make sure the little ones are okay.
“The younger kids are on first, and he’ll go in for 8.30am just to make sure the little ones are nice and calm anad get weighed in on time and are warmed up and ready to go. That really makes me proud.”
Kevin trains with Hibari-Kan Judo Club at the Martial Arts Community Hub in
Ferniegair on Monday and Thursday and some weekends, and also at Blackwood Community Wing on a Friday.
He also trains at the National Centre at Ratho with Scottish Institute of Sport athletes on a weekly basis.
Hibari-Kan Judo Club coach Andrew Malone said: “Kevin has done really well, with his qualification for the Cadet European Championships through the ranking events, which are European Cups.
“His performances and results from these events qualified him for that, and his attitude in training and how nice a kid he is – he has done really well.
“They’ve noticed that at the British Judo Association, and they’ve nominated him for this award.
“He was at the Under-21 Scottish Championships at Ravenscraig and won bronze in seniors as well, which is a fantastic result for somebody at 17 years old.
“To match with some of the adults is fantastic.
“He also won a GB ranking event the other week in Wales. He’s transitioning from under-17s to under-21s and he’s doing really well.
“He’s at the British Championships in the second week in December, and if he qualifies in the top one or two for that he will be in place for what we call a Junior Career at under-21 and he’ll get a three-year cycle for that, if he keeps going the way he is.”