New weight is nothing heavy for Mateja

The Computer Science student won the gold medal in the Under-100kg category at the English Open in Sheffield, a fortnight after winning in the U-90kg category at the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sports) Nationals and a week after his triumph as part of the town team in the Cambridge-Oxford Varsity Match.

Mateja, 21, originally from Belgrade, said: “It feels really good to have moved up to Under-100kg, the style of judo in this weight category is much better for me. I have secured 150 points in the GB rankings, as this is one of the tougher ranking events. I will now be ranked about 16th in Great Britain and I am very confident I can move up the list.”

Also competing in the English Open was Tara Fitzjohn, 25, who secured a bronze medal two weeks after winning silver at the BUCS Nationals.

Elsewhere, there was more judo success for Anglia Ruskin as Commonwealth Games gold medallist Danny Williams took a bronze medal in the Santiago Open. And in the British Schools Championships, athletes from Anglia Ruskin’s Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) fought, alongside youngsters from the community judo programme also run by Anglia Ruskin. Rosie Bainbridge, 12, of Comberton Village College, secured bronze. Ben Caldwell, 17, from Ipswich, who is on the AASE programme, won silver. Both were taking part in their first national event.

Bob Challis who manages the judo programme at Anglia Ruskin said: “Medals make headlines but we have had a player as young as 11 compete this weekend alongside performance players from Anglia Ruskin, all supporting each other and coached by our graduates. This environment is more important than medals, it grows individuals and helps them understand their place in society through sport.”


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For more press information please contact:
Jon Green on t: 0845 196 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk
Jamie Forsyth on t: 0845 196 4716, e: jamie.forsyth@anglia.ac.uk
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