St Albans’ Amy Platten has continued her road to judo glory by retaining her U18 British Cadet title.
The St Albans High School pupil battled through to face Jamie-Leigh Whitaker in what turned out to be a nerve-jangling final.
With both girls giving their all, chances were limited and after four minutes of normal time neither had found the breakthrough.
That came 39 seconds in to sudden death, or golden score.
Platten used a Osoto Gari throw and with everything put into this attack she gained the decisive yuko to win the match and the title.
After the fight Platten acknowledged the toughness of the final and her opponent.
She said: “She pushed me hard. You have to respect someone who takes you to the limit, I can barely remember the fight just the effort and the drive to win.
“After winning last year and doing really well throughout 2016, it meant both myself and others had high expectations, I have had to train hard and I am in the middle of my GCSE mocks so I have had to really push myself and have had no social time.
“I have exams all this week and then its back to Sheffield for the U21 Junior Nationals.”
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