JUDO: Two young Samurai Judo Club stars won their first international medals while representing Great Britain in the Belgium Open at Lommel, near Antwerp.

Kate Walker, 12, and Emmy Kimberley, 16, took bronze medals at the prestigious event.

Fellow Kidderminster club-mate Ellen Ingram, 13, put up a creditable display without winning anything.

Samurai coach Andrew Haffner said: "The honour of representing their country is one they will remember for a long time.

"As the squad managers observed, it is players from this squad who will hopefully be vying for places in the Olympics within the next decade."

Walker started solidly and made her way to the semi-final where she came up against another British girl.

But a single mistake cost her a place in the final after a match that she would have normally won.

In the bronze play-off, Walker took out her frustrations on a Belgian opponent with devastating throws to take the bronze.

Although the gold medal went to another player she had beaten in the Welsh Open months earlier, she was delighted with her bronze.

Emmy Kimberley moved up a weight category for the event and was at an automatic disadvantage.

She then received a tough draw which pitted her against Belgium's European Championship representative in the first round.

Kimberley lost despite a good show but the victor went on to win gold, allowing the Wyre Forest teenager back in for a long series of matchs that led to the bronze play-off.

Wins against Dutch and French players put her into the last play-off when she took a commanding lead.

Her opponent fought back hard and equalised but in extra time Kimberley gained another score to secure the bronze.

Meanwhile, Ingram took her first opponent to extra-time where the first score ends the contest.

But her opponent grabbed the first score and Ingram did not get another chance to impress in the competition.