http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=124960

Thanks Fozzie for updating people.

Pleased to say I won a silver medal- as did my girlfriend.
Guess you could say I retained it as I won silver in the 2007 Euros as well. Lost to the same French guy in the final in 2007 as well too!!!

Day1.
Elimination fights all went well but I took a big kick to the side of the knee in the first round of the final elimination fight (twat from Portugal who totally lost it) and I tore my hamstring. Went on still to win that fight and come top of the pool though.

Then had a terrible night with a lot of pain and worrying about not being able to fight in day 2.

Day 2
Luckily the fiance of one of the team is a physio. He strapped my knee up with tape and luckily I'd brought with me my metal re-inforced knee brace. I wore this over the top of the tape and combined with 2.5x the recommended dose of Ibuprofen I barely felt the knee.
All fights went ok, in the semi-final I beat the 'local-boy' a French-trained Spaniard with lots of crowd support.

In the final I was fighting Roma, a French a guy who beat me in the World semi-finals in 2006 (and then won), the Euros final in 2007 and won the Worlds in 2008.

This guy is amazing, he literally does not put a foot wrong in fighting. I had a few ideas on tactics and was beating him in the close-range boxing and long-range kicks but he totally dominated the mid-range stuff.
After kicking me in the head 4x in the first round I knew it wasn't going well!!!

I got better as the fight went on and maybe had round 3 (maybe!) but too late by then!
So he was a very well-deserved champion.


My girlfriend drew against her French opponent in the eliminations (although many people came to my girlfriend afterwards and said she'd won- including the cornermen of the French girl!). Bear in mind no-one from GB has ever beaten or even drawn against France before so this was quite something!

She then met her again in the final fight.
With 5 judges for the final instead of 3 it was *still* declared a draw, so it went to a decision from the ring official. Sadly he picked France although God knows how. I'm sure it was co-incidence that he was French!

I shouldn't mention names but I will say that various members of the French delegation told us they'd have picked my girlfriend as winner, as did senior members of the International Federation! The French girl herself was crying whilst waiting for the result, looking at her Mum and shaking her head. Clearly thought she'd lost too.

Next year!

GB team didn't do as well as we often do though sadly. Only one other bronze to a female for our medal tally.

The weirdest thing was that instead of french domination as usual (they usually win 10+ of the 16medals in offer) they only one 5 or so golds. Serbia got 6!


Anyway, this is probably far too long and boring for anyone to be interested! Sorry!


Cheers!
James

[Edited on 16/11/09 by James]

Well done, James.
Always good to hear of the French not getting it all their own way.
Both of you just keep going so that next year you'll whoop their asses right and proper.
Cheers, Pewe
PS some of my best friends are French .... if I can remember which ones!

Well done James and Rachel, silver is not to be sniffed at, playing the cheating cheese eating surrender monkeys at their own game!! (lol).
I hope you managed to drink them under the table

BTW I'm not generally anti French, just when it suits me

quote:

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Originally posted by James

Anyway, this is probably far too long and boring for anyone to be interested! Sorry!

[Edited on 16/11/09 by James]

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Well done to you both and not boring to read at all

Good effort, shame that the 5 judges couldn't make a decision and it came down to chance....

Impressive results all the same - hope you had a good time.

Chris

CONGRATULATIONS


A VERY BIG 'WELL DONE' TO YOU BOTH!

It sounded quite a weekend for you both......
Hope you are both not too bruised and sore. I suppose it is back to training now for next year.

Not boring at all James, don't ever think that!

Fozzie

Arnica cream is pretty good for bruises.....

Thanks Foz, thanks all!!!


As for injuries/bruises...

Less injured than previous events- I think this is because after the incident with my knee and the Portuguese guy I had to totally change my game plan and fight a very defensive style as I coudln't risk taking another kick to the left (usually leading) leg.

Although probably less serious long-term than the ligament damage, but much more painful is that removing the strapping tape (applied to hold my knee together!) has taken off loads of the skin on the sides and back of the knee. It's really sore!

Unpleasant picture here:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=knee_small.JPG

Knee a little swollen too I guess!

Don't want to see a physio yet though as they want to do stuff to it and the skin itself is too sore. So once the skin is healed in a few days I can get physio.

All a bit annoying as this Sunday I have a choice of entering either League event 1 of the British Savate Championships, or there's a big TaeKwon-Do competition I want to enter!

Obviously with the skin knackered like this I don't want to put more tape on!

Hopefully the knee brace will work. Off to Sainsbury's for some biiiiig plasters!

Cheers,
James

[Edited on 16/11/09 by James]

2009 manky knee

That's not a knee... you've just pinched a still-shot of one of the 'prawns' from the film District 9...





Anyhow... well done on your Silver! Great result! Next year you WILL beat the French dude! YOU WILL!

quote:

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Originally posted by Fozzie
Arnica cream is pretty good for bruises.....

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quote:

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Originally posted by scootz

Anyhow... well done on your Silver! Great result! Next year you WILL beat the French dude! YOU WILL!

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I completely agree that the UK lags waaay behind in the manner we address our athletes training needs. As you say, most nations adopt a scientific approach right from the off to anyone who shows aptitude and determination, but here that's only reserved for the selected few doing the 'right' sports!

Nice one James and Rachel

remind me never to pee you or your Mrs off!