Mandurah duo a fighting chance at National Judo Championships

TWO Mandurah teens will suit up to represent WA at June’s National Judo Championship in Geelong, Victoria.

Frederick Irwin Anglican School students Cody Peters and Callum Anderson qualified for the prestigious event after winning gold at state level earlier this year.

However, the pair are no strangers to the national stage, with Callum set to take part for the third time while Year 9 Cody will participate for a fourth.

Callum said he was always looking to improve.

“I love representing WA as it makes me feel proud,” Callum said.

“I enjoy going to another state and competing. Each time I am selected I get another chance to achieve more than the previous years.”

Cody said he relished performing at the highest level of the sport he loved.

“To represent my state doing something I love is a big thing, it makes me proud and the meaning doesn’t necessarily change each time I am selected, but it is like going on another adventure,” he said.

Both have trained at the South West Judo Academy for the past seven years.

Callum, a competitor in the cadet men’s 81kg category, said he enjoyed the social aspect of the sport.

“It is a friendly form of self-defence. My coaches and others that I train with are supportive and helpful, and I enjoy training with them as it is fun,” he said.

Cody, who fights in the cadet 55 kg division, echoed his teammate’s sentiments, saying it was easy to enjoy the sport.

“The thing I most enjoy about judo is the people I meet and the places I go; when you have done judo for as long as I have the people in my club become a second family to you,” he said.

The championship begins on June 12.