Travelling abroad with the Great Britain women’s judo team has always been like escorting St Trinian’s on a weekend of schoolgirl mayhem. One feels sorry for anyone getting in the way of such cunning, combined with irrepressible energy. And that is before the judo fighters even reach the mat.
The past 20 years have been a glorious parade of success with the stunning exception of the Atlanta Olympics when preparations went awry and no medals were won. For Kate Howey, 1996 was the only year in which she has failed to get a medal in leading international events since she finished third in the 1989 European junior championships. She has been both world senior and junior champion and also an Olympic bronze medal-winner in 1992, aged only 19.
She was profoundly disappointed by Atlanta. "It was one the lowest points of my life. There were almost two years in the wilderness." She quickly recovered, fulfilling the judo saying: "Knocked down six times, get up seven", because the sport’s philosophy is based on coping with adversity.
The following year, she became world middleweight champion in Paris, using her favourite throw, morote-gari, in the final. This looks like a front-on rugby tackle, in which she scoops up both of her opponent’s legs to dump her on her back.
Howey has always been a fighter. At birth, she survived having the umbilical cord wrapped round her neck. She began judo aged seven, joining her local club as a present from her father, David, an instructor. When her younger brother was being bullied at school, it was Kate who leapt to his defence and quickly upended the tormentor.
She has developed into an superb all-round athlete. She has run 100 metres in just over 12 seconds and recently set a British women’s judo team record for the squat, in which she puts a weight on the back of her neck and then sits down as far as a chair before getting up again. Howey has managed 155kg, heavier than most super-heavyweight weightlifters here. "Everyone also says that my arms are bigger. I am weighing 69 kilos, just a kilo under the middleweight limit."
Tests show that her stamina has improved, although she suffers from exercise-induced asthma. Roy Inman, her personal coach at Team Bath, said: "She used to be known as a first-minute fighter. If she hadn’t thrown her opponent early on, her stamina and confidence would start running out. But now she is as dangerous in the last minute as she is in the first." The team spent part of last summer in South Africa raising their cardio-vascular fitness through activities such as white-water rafting, running, rock climbing and cycling 80 kilometres.
In judo, it is crucial to develop new moves as your career progresses; otherwise competitors anticipate your techniques. This year Howey has added a left-handed shoulder throw to her right-handed attacks and this will make opponents more wary. She has been given an awkward draw and will probably have to beat Ulla Werbrouck, the Olympic champion and winner of six European titles, to reach the final. Although the Belgian is in the autumn of her distinguished career, she still retains the ability to unsettle Howey.
Britain expect the judo team, and Howey, to win medals. Usually they are rewarded. In Atlanta, they were disappointed and another failure in Sydney would be deeply depressing.
John Goodbody
The Times
