Representing Australia in judo games
Two of Woy Woy Judo Club's senior competitors, shodan Mike Griffiths and shodan Daniel Simmons, will represent Australia this month in the 2012 World Masters and 2012 Oceania World Cup, respectively.
Mike is headed to Miami in the USA to compete in the 2012 World Masters in the U66kg category.
He has been in steady training and said he was looking forward to heading to his third world masters, after competing in Hungary in 2010 and Germany in 2011.
The 2012 games were to be held in Brazil but were cancelled in September.
The USA Judo Federation put its hand up to take over the competition and hold it at the same venue as last year's US Open at the Doral Golf Resort, Miami.
Mike entered this competition with the hope of matching, if not bettering his performance, in January this year at the 2012 Commonwealth Championships in Wales where he placed second.
Daniel will compete in the 2012 Oceania World Cup in Apia, Samoa, in the Under-73kg category, a selection event for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
This will be Daniel's second appearance in the OJU World Cup, having been selected in the team in November last year.
"Last year was always going to be hard, as there was a very strong European contingent chasing points for this year's Olympics," Simmons said.
"This year has been up and down due to injury, but I have recovered to make the team once again for the World Cup and I'm hoping for a better result this time around," he said.
Prior to both events, Mike will head to London for some final preparations to the world masters, and Daniel is off to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra with the Australian judo team for National Elite Training Camp, where they will spend a week doing four hours of judo a day, cardio and strength training.
Woy Woy Judo Club chief instructor Danny Simmons, himself an Australian representative and 1968 Oceania silver medallist, said he was very happy and proud of both Daniel and Mike.
"To represent your country is a great honour, and to have two players from the Peninsula represent it is fantastic.
"Now it's time for them both to make sure they have a good final preparation and fight hard," he said.
Email, 13 Nov 2012
Lindy Simmons, Woy Woy Judo Club