GB Paralympic Squad is confirmed

It is with great pleasure that I can announce that I have been selected to represent Great Britain at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The four man team comprises of myself, Sam Ingram, Jono Drane and Chris Skelley

With just under 200 days to go, our training continues, and we are off to Brazil later this week for 3 weeks which includes the Brazilian Grand Prix, training camp and also the Olympic Test event!

Please follow me on Twitter @JackHodgsonJudo

IBSA World Games, Seoul, South Korea

I have just come back from 10 days spent in Seoul, South Korea.

The team comprised of myself, Natalie Greenhough, Chris Skelley and Sam

Ingram. Unfortunately Jono Drane could not attend due to injury but he was definitely there in spirit with us!!

We were fortunate that we had a number of days to acclimatise before fighting and so got to go out and about in Seoul and also undertake daily training sessions.

Fight day for me was Friday and I had Robert Anderson USA as my first fight. I beat him comfortably which catapulted me to the semi-final to face Alexander Pasuriak RUS. This is the chap I beat in Hungary to get my bronze! Once again I defeated him which put me in the final

Against his team mate Gaydar Gaydarov RUS. I had not fought him before except in training. He competed at London 2012 so has a good pedigree!

Unfortunately he managed to get a great throw on me, so a silver medal it was for me!

This however is a fab result and will give me a lot of qualifying points for Rio - hopefully securing my selection!!

My team mates also did well with Sam getting silver and Chris getting bronze! Hopefully we will all qualify!!

So it's back to reality for me, I finish college today with just my law A Level exams to take in June then I'm off To Uni!!

I have a hard camp next week in Mongolia to attend and then a camp in Brazil at end of August!! So watch this space for more updates!!

São Paulo Brazilian Grand Prix

Another successful trip for the GB VI Squad!!

After a mammoth 12 hour flight we arrived in the busy city tired and hot but ready to fight! 

I had the pleasure of fighting 2 Brazilians, one of whom won the Bronze at the World  Champs in Colorado so he is quite tasty! I nearly had him on a few occasions but unfortunately he managed to edge the win. His compatriot however got thrown by me in about 10 seconds!

So a silver medal for me, Chris and Jono got gold and Nat got bronze. 4/4 medals and we came second overall on the medal table!

We had a 4 day training camp after the competition which was really good but man was it hot out there! Good to start acclimatising ready for next year though! 

Next stop is a week in Edinburgh then a long weekend in Germany. Next update will be after the European Open in Germany.

Success at the 2015 IBSA World Championships - Eger, Hungary

  

This weekend I attended the IBSA World Judo Championships in Eger, Hungary, along with 5 team mates.

The competition is a qualifying event for Rio so tensions were high! In my first round I drew the current Paralympic champion Masaki Kento – Japan (who makes me look tiny!) Unfortunately I was unable to conquer him and he threw me in a rather powerful throw. As I lost the first round I dropped into the repercharge which means I then had to win my next 2 fights to win a bronze medal.

I dominated my next fight against Baurxhan Begaidarov from Kazakstan , defeating him in 40 seconds which meant I moved onto the next round to face the semi-finalist Aleksander Parasiuk from Russia. Aleksander is already sitting nicely on the qualification ladder so he did not come across as very happy when I defeated him by ippon in 20 seconds! At this point my coach got a little excited as this is my first really big International win and will catapult me from 11^th in the World rankings, to possibly top 6 which is a very comfortable place to be!

So all in all I was very pleased with this result. Out of the 4 medallists, the other 3 all competed in London 2012, so I am definitely up there!!

The following day I was entered into the Junior World Championships (I am 18). GB have a strong history in this event so I was determined to carry this on. Unfortunately for me 3 of my opponents refused to fight me! (Chuckle) so I obtained automatic wins from them and defeated Abderrahim Mehdaoui from France to take the Gold and the World Championship title. Top Junior in the World – think I can handle that!

Having the National Anthem played for me was quite emotive! Let’s hope I hear it again soon!

Following the 2 competitions we had a 3 day training camp so I got to spend a lot of time throwing people about – I made sure I got a few throws in on the big Japanese fella that beat me! Can’t let him think I’m a wimp!! J

I’m onto Brazil next in 2 weeks’ time followed by Germany in April and Seoul, Korea in May! Busy boy!

Please follow me on twitter – jackhodgsonjudo as I strive to qualify for the Paralympics next year!

Busy year ahead

Well what a busy year I have ahead of me! As most of you will know I am hoping to qualify for Rio 2016

Expectations are that I qualify for Rio but peak at Tokyo in 4 years time! I hope I can qualify! That is such an achievement in itself!

So this year there are a number of qualifying events to attend, I will be competing and training in the following

Feb - Junior and Senior World Champs In Hungary

March - Brazilian Grand Prix

April - German Open

May - World Cup Games in Seoul

July - Junior World Champs USA

August - training camp Brazil

October - European Cup Glasgow

So a pretty busy year for me! I'm still at college full time to the end of June as well! Then hopefully university to study Sports Coaching!!

So I have ramped up the training, changed my diet and am focusing on the goals ahead! 

Will Update you with results as they come! 

Lincolnshire Young Disabled Sports Person of the Year!

A few weeks ago I was honoured with the title of the Lincolnshire Young Disabled Sports person of the Year!

Was fortunate enough to meet rugby legend Neil Back on the night also and shared the table with Jade Etherington who won 4 medals at the Winter Olympics! 

Sport England Talented Athlete

I have been fortunate enough to be selected to be part of the Talented Athlete Scheme run by Sport England.

This gives me access to Strength and Conditioning Training, Physio and lifestyle support! 

I'm looking forward to a successful partnership with them! 

Got a few comps in the early part of the year so watch this space! 

World Championships 2014

I've just returned from the Olympic Training Centre in Colorado where I attended the IBSA Senior World Championships. The GB squad comprised of Jono Drane, Gavin Towers, Chris Skelley and Natalie Greenhough.

Unfortunately for me my draw was simply horrific, pulling the Paralympic Gold and Bronze medallists in the first round :(

Unfortunately I didn't medal in this competition but it was a great experience for me and has given me knowledge of the guys I am going to be facing in the next few years!

Jono gained a superb bronze medal and Skelley came 7th. 

Was a great week away in a superb setting. Eagerly awaiting the next tournament now!!

German Open and Training Camp

I'm just back from attending the German Open in Heildelburg. This was my first VI competition (as I was injured for the last) and it was also a senior competition.

I'm pleased to say a got a silver in this event! 

A 2 day training camp followed the event which was hard work but I picked up

Some useful tips.

On my return to the UK I saw that the BJA had been busy promoting the event and the teams results which was great. 

My college and the BJA arranged for me to undertake a live radio interview with BlindSports Radio in Australia and I have just done another radio interview for the college radio station!! Must be famous!

Couldn't of happened at a worst time!

I attended England squad training at the new British Judo Centre of Excellence yesterday and whilst training with one of my coaches, I injured my thumb! Nothing too bad about that apart from my whole hand started swelling up!!

The physio insisted I went to A and E where it was discovered that I have an unstable fracture of the thumb joint!

They put me in a cast to just under my elbow!!!!

Now obviously with the world champs a week away, it's a no-brainier that I simply cannot fight! I will also be out for the British  Championships in December :(

Gutted!!

I am still however going to the World Champs! Hopefully I will be the lucky mascot as I have already used up the bad luck!!!

Got my black belt!

Hi all

I've just completed my black belt theory test. Out of 270 points I needed to get 190 to pass. I smashed it with 266!!! Well pleased!

So that nice new Fighting Films black belt will be worn with pride from now on!!!!

Welsh Champion 2013

Pleased to say that yesterday (02/11) I became the Welsh Champion in the Cadet O90 category. 

I also came 3rd in the Junior O100 category so good day overall!

Unfortunately the weather was horrific and the sports hall roof was under threat of blowing off! We ended up staying an extra night as road conditions were awful! 

I've been quiet

Hi all

Sorry for the literal silence!

I was out of judo for 6 months due to ruptured tendons in my ankle! What a nightmare!!

But I am now back fighting again and have had a number of competitions recently and have medalled in most!!

I have also amassed the 100 points needed to gain my black belt! Just need to complete my theory and it will be done ;)

I've been to a weeks squad training with the GB squad which was great and most excitedly, I have been selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior World Championships in Hungary in December!!!

My GB kit has arrived so I am really looking forward to getting that on and travelling to Hungary with the team!!

Watch this space for more info!!

Young Deaf Sports Personality of The Year

On Saturday 17th November I was awarded the accolade of Young Deaf Sports Person of the Year!
Naturally I am delighted with this award and it was great to see so many other deaf athletes getting recognition.

One thing that really stood out for me though was the lack of diversity in the sports - It was quite clear where the funding was being streamlined - football, tennis, swimming and chess! *hellooooo - what about judo!!*

Hopefully through the publicity that my win will generate, more people will become aware of judo - and hopefully more deaf people will be interested in giving it a try!

Mike Gatting (Cricketer) presented the awards - of course I had to get a picture with him :)

Paralympic Inspirations Programme

Over the summer I had an absolutely awesome experience! I was selected to attend the Paralympic Inspiration Programme! The British Judo Association nominated me and it was a great shock to find out I had been selected.

We met on a few different occasions, the first being in Manchester at the launch of the Paralympic World Cup, this was an introduction to the programme and the other 80 or so athletes on it.

Then in August we traveled down to Bath University which was the holding camp for many of the Paralympic  athletes. Whilst there we were kitted out in Paralympic Inspiration Programme kit, had lectures on Media, Doping, nutrition, One Team Mentality and generally went through the stages of preparation that the athletes would go through!

We also had a night at the Bath Paralympic Torch ceremony in which we were VIP guests! :)

We were in Bath for a weekend and then myself and my fellow judo colleague Chris (along with our nutter of a coach Ian) headed off to Kendal in Cumbria for an England Training week! Gluttons for punishment or what! It was an intense few days, hard work and physically demanding, but we didn't have time to catch breath before heading straight down to London for the remainder of the programme!

London was awesome! We went to the Paralympic Village (The food court was huge!), Paralympic House and spend time at various Paralympic Sports. Naturally I loved the judo - we got to see Sam Ingram getting through to the finals which was amazing as we were matside along with the rest of the Paralympic judo team! It really brought home the 'One Team Mentality' that we had been lectured about.

I have never been photographed so much as I was this week, loads of people stopped us and wanted photos with us and autographs! Such a surreal experience!

Last week was the culmination of the programme down in Loughborough University and it was good to catch up with my fellow athletes again! We are hoping to carry on the programme but of course this will be reliant on funding!

All the athletes on the programme (including yours truly)  have the goal of getting to either Socchi in 2014 or Rio in 2016 so watch this space!!!!

British Championships

Yesterday I travelled to Sheffield for The British Championships. I'm pleased to say that I came away with a bronze medal!

I'm starting to use grips at the start of the fights now (which is how VI players start) Figured it was about time I started to learn the VI rules ;)

Sense Awards 4th October 2012

I'm very pleased to tell you that I attended the Sense Annual Awards ceremony today in London and I was awarded the Sense Young Deafblind Person of the Year award! Awards were presented by Linda Barker who has done lots of TV work (changing places, I'm a celeb etc)

I hope my good luck continues for the Lincs Sports Awards next month!

Lincolnshire Young Disabled Sports Person of The Year

I am really pleased to let you all know that I have been shortlisted for the Lincolnshire Young Disabled Sportsperson of the Year award for the 3rd year running! Hopefully this year will be my year after being runner up for the previous 2!!

The awards ceremony is in November so watch this space ........................................

Sense Young Deafblind Person of the Year

I am pleased to announce that Sense (Deafblind Charity) have shortlisted me for the award of Young Deafblind Person of the Year for my achievements in Judo!

The awards ceremony is in October so everyone please cross your fingers and toes for me!

I'll let you all know how I get on!!

For more information on Sense, please visit http://www.sense.org.uk/

Olympic Torch!

Wow, what an amazing day I have had!! It's been a long time coming but today finally arrived - my day to carry the Olympic torch!

We travelled to Skegness for the occasion, which is about an hour and a half from home. I was dropped off with the other torchbearers whilst my parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins went on to the start point.

It was great on the bus travelling to the selected points as everyone was full of enthusiasm and the crowds were really encouraging! I managed to perfect the royal wave quite quickly!!

When I got off the bus to await the torch, I was literally mobbed! Everyone wanted their photo with me and to touch the torch! I felt like a celeb!!

The time soon came for me to start the relay! I was very nervous but excited as well. Once the previous torchbearer kissed my torch I was off!!

My Dad ran nearby to film it with my Grandad trying his best to keep up!! My mum went to the end of the route to catch me handing it on to the next torch bearer!

It went by so quick! The crowds were fab, everyone was getting into the olympic spirit! I hope it continues and that they all get behind Team GB especially the 14 Judoka and the 5 Paralympian Judoka! I've done my bit , It's now their time to shine!!!