A WEST FIFE judoka has become a British champion after a superb performance at a recent competition south of the border.

Inverkeithing High School pupil Angus Marsh travelled to Sheffield to compete in the British Schools' Championship and came home with a gold medal in the Years 12 and 13 boys' under-66 kilogram class.

The Dalgety Bay teen was one of 22 entrants in his category from across the UK, and claimed victory thanks to an impressively-dominant performance, ensuring that he went one step further than the silver medal he had won at the competition in 2018.

It took Marsh just 19 seconds to guide his first opponent, Cory Sharp, from North Lincolnshire Engineering UTC, onto his back on the mat for ippon, before he went on to defeat the impressive Justas Smitrius in the quarter-final.

The West Fifer threw the Sydney Russell School pupil for wazari before scoring ippon with a flawless switch throw, taking him into a last-four meeting with South Cheshire College's Matthew Kesteven.

In what was a cagier affair, which saw an early Marsh uchi mata throw downgraded after video review from ippon to wazari, Marsh counter-attacked judiciously for a second wazari to end the content as it entered the final minute, with his English opponent having been forced to take the initiative.

The final pitted Angus against David Townsend, from Leasowes High School in the West Midlands, and it was decided in Marsh’s favour halfway through the bout when another well-timed uchi mata throw scored ippon, enabling Marsh to add the British Schools’ title to the bronze medal he won last month at the Scottish Students’ Judo Championships, where he also represented his school.

Meanwhile, Donibristle Primary School also featured on the podium in Sheffield, thanks to a bronze medal-winning performance from Elliot Yates in the Years Six and Seven boys' under-55kg class.

Elliot's brother, Lewis, also reached the bronze medal match in the under-38kg category, only losing out in the narrowest of margins in a performance that continued a successful season for the youngster, which saw him win the same weight category at the Judo Scotland Hibari Kan Open at the end of February.

He won his opening three fights by ippon before a wazari success in the final against Whitburn JC’s Ewan MacFarlane, and was followed to the podium by Elliot at the tournament, which was held at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, Motherwell, where he collected silver in the under 60kg class with two wins in his three fights.

Other local competitors from Destination Judo Club fared well in the Hibari Kan event, including Tabitha Callaghan, who won the under-13 girls’ under-28 kg category; and her brother, Isaac, who won the under-15 boys’ under-34 kilo class, the weight category at which he is reigning British champion.

Continuing his dominance of his category, Isaac also took gold at the English Pre-Cadet Open held in Thetford earlier this month.