Olympic medalist officially opens Rushden judo club

An Olympic medalist was on hand to open a new judo club in Rushden.

Chelsie Giles, who won bronze in Tokyo this year, cut the ribbon for Higham & Rushden Judo Club’s official opening ceremony this week.

She then ran two masterclasses for the club, teaching students some of the moves that helped her claim the bronze in Japan.

The club is located upstairs at Rushden Athletic Club and they train on Monday and Thursday nights, catering for three different age groups of under-8s, eight to 14 and those over the age of 14.

The club’s Robert Price said: “We’re always looking to add to our numbers.

“We want all shapes and sizes at our club as judo is a sport that fights in weight categories so there is opportunity for everyone.

“Judo is a fantastic inclusive sport, which helps both body and mind.

“We’re very lucky to have approximately a third of our members who are female and would love that to reach half of the club one day.

“It's also in the Paralympic games too, with visually impaired players bringing back an amazing haul of medals this year.”

For more information on the club search ‘Higham & Rushden Judo Club’ on Facebook or Instagram.