Barratt Strikes Gold as Hawkes Takes Bronze at 2025 Gold Coast Oceania Open

This past weekend, Great Britain had athletes competing at both the U23 European Judo Championships and the Gold Coast Oceania Open, with a couple of medals secured and valuable experience gained for our fighters.

Ollie Barratt (Dragons Academy) delivered Great Britain’s standout performance of the weekend, capturing the gold medal and the top spot on the podium in the -100kg category at the Gold Coast Oceania Open, his best result of the year so far.

Barratt began his campaign in the quarter-final, comfortably defeating his Australian opponent. He maintained that strong form in the semi-final, overcoming another Australian judoka with the same decisive outcome to book his place in the final block. There, Barratt faced a tougher test against his Filipino opponent, conceding a waza-ari before delivering the winning ippon and securing the gold.

It was an excellent performance from the Welshman, adding to an already strong run of 2025 results, which includes bronze at the Warsaw European Open, 5th place at the Dushanbe Grand Slam, and 7th at the Tallinn European Open.

Rachael Hawkes (Camberley JC) claimed bronze in the -70kg category at the Gold Coast Oceania Open, her second consecutive medal and third podium finish of the year.

Hawkes has enjoyed a busy and successful few months on the international circuit, competing in four events since September. During that time, she has secured gold at the Port Louis African Open, bronze at the Lima Pan American Open, and now bronze in Australia.

Eric Ham (Ryecroft JC) also made a noteworthy return to competition in Australia. While he didn’t secure a medal on this occasion, his performance was an outstanding achievement in itself.

Making his first competitive appearance in two years, Ham not only stepped back onto the tatami but also claimed a first-round victory, a remarkable feat considering the severity of the injury and setbacks he has battled since December 2023.

It’s fantastic to see Eric back in action, and we’re excited to watch him continue to rebuild and progress!

Back in Europe, two British judoka represented Great Britain at the U23 European Judo Championships.

Rory Tyrrell (Camberley JC) reached the Round of 16 in the -81kg category, opening his campaign with a composed first-round victory after his opponent received a third shido less than two minutes into the contest.

Holly Devall (Dragons Academy) also put in a determined performance in her opening bout, narrowly missing out on progression as she was defeated by just a single yuko in the closing seconds.

For both Tyrrell and Devall, this event provided an invaluable opportunity to compete at such a high level of international competition. The experience gained on the European stage will no doubt serve them well as they continue their development.

Watch out for further news from British Judo by checking out our latest news section. You can also catch up via our official social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The post Barratt Strikes Gold as Hawkes Takes Bronze at 2025 Gold Coast Oceania Open appeared first on British Judo Association.