Hannah Wood bounce back from injury to become national judo champion

Hannah Wood was named in the Team Scotland squad for the international competition earlier this year.

However, just over a week before the competition got under way at the Coventry Arena, she was ruled out by knee and elbow injuries.

The Tranent athlete was due to represent Scotland in the -52 kilogramme category.

She said: “I had already had surgery, two knee surgeries, before but it was the same knee again.

“I had a bit of an elbow injury and was nursing one when I picked up the other.

“That was through training in the final weeks before the Commonwealth Games.

“It was so close to the Games – and a couple of weeks later I was due to be flying out to the Junior World Championships in Ecuador and then the European Championships in Prague – that it was a real triple whammy.

“I missed the full block of the summer.”

Hannah Wood bounced back from the disappointment of missing the Commonwealth Games to take gold

The 20-year-old returned to training in September and spent a month in Japan ahead of the Scottish National Judo Championships earlier this month.

The former Ross High School pupil, who now trains full time in judo, said: “Being out in Japan was amazing.

“The judo out there is just on another level.

“It was a lot of fun – lots of being thrown but lots of fun.”

Returning back home to Tranent, Wood was part of Sportif Judo squad heading to the Inverclyde Centre.

Stepping up to the -57 kilogramme category, she became the senior national champion.

However, she has no intention of stopping there and told Courier Sport: “Next is the British Championships in December.

“Going into next year, I have a block of international events that I am really looking forward to.”

The event in Largs proved an incredibly successful one for Sportif Judo, who topped the medal table for the 16th year in a row. Judokas from throughout East Lothian and beyond brought home 17 gold medals, nine silver and 25 bronze.

Lily McGarry was celebrating at the Scottish National Judo Championships

Among those stepping on top of the podium was 12-year-old Lily McGarry, who took gold.

The Ross High School pupil was joined by older sister Alexis, 15, who claimed silver.

Sam Walker, who previously attended the Tranent secondary school, took a silver medal in the seniors while Lois Henderson won silver in the under-16s and bronze in the seniors.

Alexis McGarry took silver at the Scottish National Judo Championships earlier this month

Cole Lennon, of North Berwick High School, also won a silver medal.

Katie Greenan, Sylvie Butler, Reuben Thomson and Kyle Stone – all Ross High – all took bronze at the competition earlier this month. North Berwick High School’s Lucia King won silver while Reuben Butler, of Ormiston Primary School, also took silver.

Elsewhere, Rachel Young and Kristiana Campbell, of Elphinstone Primary School, and Layla McLachlan, of Macmerry Primary School, claimed bronze.

Ross High School pupil Kyle Stone clinched bronze

RESULTS

Hannah Wood: Gold medallist and Senior National Champion – u52kg; Sam Walker: Silver medallist – Seniors u60kg; Lily McGarry: Ross High Gold medallist and Scottish Champion Pre cadet u48kg; Lois Henderson: Ross High Silver medallist u16s & Bronze in Seniors u52kg; Lucia King: North Berwick High Silver medallist Pre Cadet u40kg; Alexis McGarry: Ross High Silver medallist Cadet u78kg; Reuben Butler: Ormiston PS Silver medallist Minors u42kg; Katie Greenan: Ross High Bronze medallist Pre cadet u44kg; Sylvie Butler: Ross High Bronze medallist Pre cadet u52kg; Reuben Thomson: Ross High Bronze medallist Pre Cadet u50kg; Kyle Stone: Ross High Bronze medallist Minors u38kg; Rachel Young Elphinstone PS Bronze medallist Minors u32kg; Kristiana Campbell: Elphinstone PS Bronze medallist Minors u36kg; Layla McLachlan: Macmerry PS Bronze medallist Minors u48kg; Cole Lennon: North Berwick High Silver medallist Pre Cadet u60kg.