A BASILDON judo club is celebrating after claiming a brace of medals at the British Schools Championships.

Kangei Judo’s Isabel Dowson claimed gold in the U28kg category to be crowned champion while Leonard Stannard scooped bronze in the U90 category at the Sheffield Arena.

Throughout 2015 and the beginning of 2016 youngsters from across the country competed in the British Schools Trails in an attempt to qualify for the British Schools Championships which took place in Sheffield.

Only the two best children in their weight and year groups (which were sectioned across two school years) would qualify in their region to go and fight in Sheffield, with three selected from Kangei Judo.

Year 11’s Stannard, of St Martins School in Brentwood, as well as Bethany Allum, a Year 9 pupil at Castle View School, in Canvey Island, and Isabel Dowson, a Year 6 pupil from Stanford’s Arthur Bugler Junior School were selected and all shone.

In Sheffield Allum was knocked out in the opening rounds after a brave performance with her fellow competitors from Kangei claiming medals.

To add to his bronze, Stannard is also aiming to become a black belt, just nine months after winning his blue belt. The feat is made more impressive as the teenager is taking his exam at the youngest age the grading can be achieved.

The Basildon club, which trains at Janet Duke Primary School, is now the largest British Judo Association (BJA) club in the Essex Region with more than 100 members.

It also received two independent votes from members of the BJA for club of the year 2015 at the British Judo Awards last year and hopes to receive more votes in an attempt to be crowned club of the year for 2016.

The club, which is assisted by eight qualified UKCC British Judo coaches, trains on Wednesdays between 6.45pm and 7.30pm for Years 5 to 8, 7.30pm to 8.30pm for 8-16 year-olds and 8.30pm to 9.45pm for 16 years and over.

There are also training sessions on Mondays between 7.30pm and 8.30pm for 8-16 year olds and 8.30 to 9.45pm for 16 and overs.