News Archive, Tag: Gemma Gibbons

From Team Bath to Team GB as judoka Ben Fletcher is selected for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

16 June 2016

With 50 days to go until Rio 2016, Team Bath judoka Ben Fletcher today became the ninth University of Bath-based athlete to be officially selected by Team GB for this summer’s Olympic Games. The 24-year-old, who is coached by Juergen Klinger at the Sports Training Village, will compete in the men’s -100kg weight category after being one of seven Brits to successfully qualify for the Games. After a gruelling two-year qualification period that took him...

Rio 2016 qualification is almost signed and sealed for Team Bath Judo’s Ben Fletcher

16 May 2016

Team Bath Judo’s Ben Fletcher will find out for certain in the next two weeks whether he has qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Fletcher wasn’t able to reproduce the form he had shown while finishing a career-high seventh in Azerbaijan the previous week as he was beaten by home judoka Viktor Demyanenko in the first round of the men’s -100kg competition at the Almaty Grand Prix in Kazakhstan. But despite the setback, Fletcher...

Judoka Ben Fletcher closes in on Rio 2016 place after highest-ever finish at European Championships

25 April 2016

Team Bath judoka Ben Fletcher is back in the automatic qualification places for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after producing his best result at a senior major championships to date. The 24-year-old’s seventh-placed finish at the European Judo Championships in Kazan, Russia on Saturday lifted him back up to 29th in the Olympic qualification rankings for the -100kg weight category. With just one month of the two-year qualification period remaining and no more major tournaments...

Continental championships offer Team Bath judoka big chance to close in on Rio 2016

07 April 2016

Team Bath judoka Ben Fletcher and Emmanuel Nartey can strengthen their claims for Rio 2016 Olympic Games selection when they compete in continental championships this month. Fletcher has been named in a 13-strong Great Britain team for this month’s European Judo Championships in Russia. It is the last major tournament before this summer’s Olympics, giving Fletcher – coached by Juergen Klinger at the Sports Training Village – a big chance to collect more priceless qualification points before the May...

Gemma Gibbons with silver medal - London 2012 Judo Women. Photo: Paul Sancya/AP/Press Association Images

Judoka Gemma Gibbons wins historic bronze medal at Tokyo Grand Slam

06 December 2015

University of Bath graduate Gemma Gibbons became the first British woman ever to medal at the year-ending Tokyo Grand Slam as she won a superb bronze on Sunday. The London 2012 Olympic silver-medallist, who studied Sports Performance, twice produced exciting comeback victories before defeating home favourite Ruika Sato in the -78kg bronze-medal match. “I am really pleased with that result,” said Gibbons. “I have always dreamt of getting a Tokyo Grand Slam medal and today I...

Judo stars Ben Fletcher and Gemma Gibbons bag crucial Olympic qualifying points at World Championships

03 September 2015

Team Bath Judo's Ben Fletcher built on his first-ever Grand Prix medal in July by reaching the last-16 at the 2015 World Judo Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. Fletcher's progress, which was ended by eventual-finalist German Frey Karl-Richard, meant he has now earned enough qualification points to book a spot in the 'green zone' for Olympic qualifying - occupied by athletes who are in a direct qualification position. 23-year-old Fletcher, who trains under Juergen Klinger at...

Ben Fletcher wins first-ever Judo Grand Prix medal in Mongolia

06 July 2015

Team Bath Judo Club’s Ben Fletcher said he “couldn’t be happier” after winning his first-ever Grand Prix medal in Mongolia. Fletcher, coached by Juergen Klinger at the Sports Training Village, also secured 120 Olympic qualification points to boost his hopes of reaching Rio 2016. “My first-ever Grand Prix medal – a really good day and performance,” he tweeted. “Couldn’t be happier.” And there was a gold medal for University of Bath graduate Gemma Gibbons who...

Baku 2015 logo

Frustrating early exits for Team Bath judoka at Baku 2015 European Games

29 June 2015

Team Bath Judo Club coach Juergen Klinger rued the “tactical mistakes” which contributed to early exits for Megan Fletcher, Ben Fletcher and Gemma Howell at the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. All three were in good positions in the fights they lost but went on to endure frustrating defeats. Commonwealth champion Megan Fletcher was up against Poland's Katarzyna Klys in their -70kg round-of-32 contest but lost out following a pair of yukos. “Megan got thrown...

Commonwealth judo win gives Megan Fletcher belief ahead of European Games

23 June 2015

Team Bath Judo Club’s Megan Fletcher says she is going into the European Games full of confidence after her gold-medal triumph at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Fletcher is joined in Baku, Azerbaijan by brother Ben and Gemma Howell, who are all coached by Juergen Klinger at the University of Bath. And she is targeting another international medal as she pursues her ultimate ambition of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “If I can...

Kate Howey tweeted this picture of the British judo squad in Mongolia for a training camp ahead of the 2015 European Games

Team Bath judoka continue Baku 2015 European Games countdown in Mongolia

04 June 2015

Team Bath Judo Club’s Ben Fletcher, Megan Fletcher and Gemma Howell are finalising their preparations for this month’s European Games at a training camp in Mongolia. University of Bath graduate Gemma Gibbons – the London 2012 Olympic silver-medalist – is also part of the touring group. It is the first time the British Judo Association has gone to the Central Asian country, whose judoka are considered to be among the best in the world. “They...

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