Shaun Mitty targets hat-trick of golden judo masters medals

SHAUN Mitty is determined to make it a clean sweep of gold medals next year in masters judo.
The 45-year-old judoka from Leigh won gold at the British and European championships.
But a defeat to Argentinean Diego Rebello meant the Southend Judo Club member had to settle for silver in the World Championship.
And he plans to ensure he brings home golds in all three events next time.
“To win the British, European and get a silver at the Worlds is a dream come true,” said Mitty.
“It’s a lifetime achievement and now I’m on a roll. Next year I’ll have to be trying for three golds.
“To lose the World gold so narrowly has given me the adrenaline and eagerness for next year to try and top all that.”
Mitty finished runner up to Diego Rebello in the M4 U90kg section for veteran players aged 44 to 49 at the Worlds.
He lost to a Shido (small penalty) in the closing stages of their fight in Amsterdam.
“It was really close, too close really, he got two penalties and I got two penalties and then in the last 20 seconds I got another penalty,” added Mitty.
“I was chasing him and chasing him but couldn’t pull it back.
On his way to the final, Mitty had beaten former European and World medalist Miguel Cesar Perez Ruiz, from Spain, plus Denmark’s Boris Schulet, Italy’s Luca Spadini and Germany’s Stefan Schwingenschoegl.
The silver medalist was determined to win gold at the Europeans in Nice, where he defeated a Russian, a Lithuanian, a German and two French players.
And he followed up his British masters golds of 2012 and 2013 with another top step of the podium in Walsall, after not competing last year.
 Mitty said he wanted to achieve success in the masters as a thank-you to his dad Martin, who took his son to clubs and competitions as he progressed through the ranks after taking the sport up aged seven.
Injuries curtailed his career when he was 22 and in the GB squad and knocking on the door of the Olympic team.
“Because he’s been ill lately I said I must try and win a World Championship and give him the medal,” Mitty added.
“I went to his home and said ‘Dad, I’ve got the silver’ and said ‘you have that for taking me to competitions for all those years’, but he wouldn’t take it.”
Mitty, who is married to Nicola and has three children, Lenny, Freya and Bow, is now recovering from his injuries in readiness for competitions.
He may contest the Welsh Open at the end of the month but is looking ahead to the European Championships in Croatia and the Commonwealth Championships in South Africa in 2016.
Southend Judo Club head coach Pascal Knappen said: “Obviously everyone at the club is extremely proud of Shaun.”