GO GOLD Athlete of the Week: Mary Tomblin

Athlete of the Week gets a little more physical this week as we focus on budding judo star, Mary Tomblin!

A Gold medallist at the British School Championships, the Rutland athlete is one of the finest young battlers in Britain. And regularly meeting with the England team has her well set for greatness.

Tomblin took time out of her school and mat work to tell us a little more about herself.

1. What is the best thing your sport has enabled you to do?

Judo has enabled me to become more confident and find a sport that I enjoy doing. Also, I have met lots of new friends who share the same interest who live all across the country.

2. What is your favourite day of the week and why?

My favourite day of the week is Friday because I have my judo randori session and I am able to practice all the techniques I learnt on Tuesday's session. I also like Fridays because some weekends I meet my judo friends at training or competitions so it is the day before I see them so something to look forward to.

3. Who is your biggest role model and why?

My biggest sport role model is Sally Conway as she did amazing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and won a bronze medal for judo representing GB and I hope one day to achieve something like that. As well as a sport role model I am inspired by the fictional character of Tris from Divergent because she is very brave confident and determined and these are the qualities I feel are very important.

4. If you were a superhero, what powers would you have?

If I was to have a superpower I would want to have the ability to inspire others to try judo as it is a less recognised sport.

5. If you could go back in time, what year would you go to and why?

If I could go back in time I would go back to 2012 so I could go to the home Olympics in London and watch the judo competitions so that I could see Gemma Gibbons compete and win silver.

6. Do you have anything else that you'd like us to know?

As well as doing judo I have competed for my school doing the 1500m, most recently in Corby in a triangular athletics competition.

To keep up to date with Mary's progress, visit her blog at http://www.lrsport.org/profiles/mary-tomblin.