ANDY MURRAY CLAIMS TENNIS IS AS HARD AS CAGE FIGHTING

(Caption): Andy Murray claims tennis is a hard as sport as cage fighting

By Martial News Reporter

BRITISH number one tennis player Andy Murray has claimed that his sport is as tough as cage fighting.

Currently placed at number 4 in the world, Murray said the stresses of today's tennis circuit meant that he had to spend part of his training regime running and in the gym.

He said: "For me, tennis is, along with boxing and cage fighting, one of the toughest sports in the world.

"Obviously, there are differences. The training side is totally different. They have to train like animals and be so professional with diet, weight and all those things.

"But everything that went on in that match the other night was great for tennis.

"I know how tough it is to be a tennis player and how much work you have to put in if you want to be at the top of the game. No other sport would see you play for 10 hours."

Murray, 23, is both a boxing and cage fighting fan and often watches fights on the net while touring.

By BJA, pic by  Mike Varey ©

GREAT Britain will field both a men’s and women’s squad at the two World Cups held on the weekend of the 5th - 6th June.

An eight-strong British men’s team will compete in the Spanish World Cup held in Madrid.

In the -66kg weight category, Colin Oates, who competed in the European Championships last month and took a bronze medal at the Prague World Cup earlier this year, has been selected. Oates also impressed at the British Open Championships two weeks ago, picking up a bronze medal.

Tom Reed, who was a reserve at the Europeans, has been picked to compete in the -81kg weight category. At the start of the year the University of Bath student earned a silver medal at the Vienna World Cup and will be aiming to put in another good performance.

From the 2010 European Team Championships, Jean-Rene Badrick will contest the -66kg, Andy Burns will fight in the -90kg competition and Chris Sherrington will compete in the +100kg weight category.

Completing the line-up is Nathon Burns (-60kg), Michael Horley (-90kg) and James Austin (-100kg), who all took 5th places at the 2010 British Open Championships.

Commenting on the men’s selection, Head Coach Patrick Roux said, “We have identified players in the heavy weights and we are now starting to push them to the next level. The British Open was a confirmation for Chris Sherrington as he progresses to a higher to the World stage.”

A seven-strong women’s team will compete in the Romanian World Cup held in Bucharest.

Three players in the selection competed in the European Championships, including Kelly Edwards (-48kg), Faith Pitman (-63kg) and Sally Conway (-70kg).

2009 World University Games silver medalist Gemma Gibbons (-70kg) and 2010 British Open Champion Sarah Adlington (+78kg), who were reserves at the Europeans, will step up to the mat in their respective weight categories.

The final selection is Gemma Howell who will compete in her second event since her return from a 10 month injury, although her weight category is yet to be announced by Roux.

Howell, who has made her place previously in the -57kg weight category, competed in the -63kg competition at the British Open Championships and seemed untroubled by the change, winning a gold medal.

Roux further added, “The World Cups are in the middle of a five- week strength and conditioning block where we are concentrating more on the physical qualities.”

Following the World Cup events, the team along with other members of the British Squad will go on a training tour in Orenburg & Moscow, Russia between 14 June & 8 July 2010 to start the preparations for the World Championships.

Media Contact:

Nicola Turner

PR Officer

British Judo Association

Phone: 01509 631692/07854 244343

Email: nicola.turner@britishjudo.org.uk

Or visit: www.britishjudo.org

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BRITISH SOMBO CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Caption): The British Sombo Championships...

By Martial News Reporter

THE British Sombo Federation held an international championship in Sittingbourne, Kent.

Although numbers were slightly down on previous years the level of competition was very high with top teams from France, USA and Germany competing. 

U68k was the fist final with Ashley Costa fighting Englishman Martyn Coyne, both had a 

good day but Ashley won all his fights before the end of time and the final match was no

different. 

Ashley who is soon joining the Police Force has a wide range of techniques 

from Drop Knee shoulder throw, full shoulder throw, foot sweep, inner thigh throw, 

supplex, double leg pick up. 

U74kg final was between Sullivan Legros France and Kieran Daniels Spitfire, Kieran a 

very experience Judo Player who is always the audience favourite because of his 

high pick up throws which always look spectacular (something now banned from Judo). 

The fight started at a good pace with both players trying for big throws but after a few 

minutes the French man found Kieran’s weakness, his ground play and worked Kieran into

a straight arm lock for a submission.

U82k final another win for the Legros brothers this time it was Romuald against 17 year 

old Jamie Marzetti, Romuald had no problems reaching the finals after leg-locking Marzetti in just over a minute.

Danny Carrot faced the experienced mma fighter Anthony Sansonetti, USA, in the 90kg final.  The American fighter is known for his leg-locks so Coach Clarke told the British fighter to avoid the ground. Instead Danny went for throws and took the bout 12-nil.

The 100kg final was a duel between two powerful men with England’s tall Lee Till dwarfing his American opponent Doug Fournet.

Doug was a power house with plenty of wrestling skills and Lee could not breakdown his defence which allowed Doug to win 8pts to 2pts.

In the 100kg plus section, Scotland’s relative newcomer to Sombo Jayde Devlin took on the experienced Master Fighter from Germany Peter Rebcher. 

This should have been the German's fight as he built up a lead of 8pts and some in the audience were so convinced of a win they were shouting just one more throw but in Sombo you can never be sure both players went to the floor and Peter made the

mistake of letting his arm loose and the Scotsman had it winning with a Submission.

(Caption): The British contingent at the championships...

British Squad for World Championships: Ashley Costa, Kieran Daniels, James Marzetti, Danny Carrott, Lee Till Sombo and Combat Sambo, Jayde Devlin.

British squad World Masters, Mick Adamson, Russell Dodds, John Clarke, Colin Carrott, Pete Wise, Lee Till, George Loscombe, John Laver.

www.britishsombo.co.uk