Kearney eyes Euro medal to cement London spot

Lisa Kearney is planning to rubber-stamp her place at the Olympics by claiming a medal at the European Judo Championships, which gets underway in Chelyabinsk, Russia next week.

The Belfast woman holds such a lofty goal despite the fact she has only been back on the mat a week after damaging knee ligaments last January. Far from being negative about the lay-off, Kearney reckons it could be a blessing in disguise, particularly if she makes it to London.

And there’s a very strong likelihood that she will, despite missing out on four qualifiers during her enforced absence from competition.

A host of podium positions in the past two years prior to her injury mean that despite being overtaken by a couple of opponents in the qualifying rankings, two more challengers need to overtake her at the Europeans. And with all the best judoka participating, that would be a freak occurrence.

“Anything can happen, maybe it will happen, and it’s not over ‘til it’s over so I don’t feel like I can just sort of stroll in,” said the recently turned 23-year-old at Ardmore Studiosyesterday, prior to filming her part for an Electric Ireland commercial that will also feature a host of other confirmed and aspiring Irish Olympians.

“I’m going to go in and focus on doing what needs to be done. But at the same time it’s looking really good. It’s good for me as well — because I’m the one in a strong position I can just focus on my judo and not worry about what they’re doing. I would love a European medal and I know that I am capable of it.”

The results suggest as much. Little wonder Ciarán Ward — the two-time Olympian who is her coach since she was an eight-year-old — regards her as the country’s most exciting judo prospect ever.

“The tournaments that I had to sit on the sidelines and watch were just absolute torture. Just really nerve-wracking stuff because I was so close to qualifying and the girls that were behind me, a result in one of those tournaments would have moved them ahead of me.

“So to have to sit and watch them compete and not being able to do anything myself was really tough. I think if the results go well and I’m 100% qualified, the injury kind of came at a good time because it was an enforced rest. Where I would’ve been fighting four weeks in-a-row, I didn’t fight any of those tournaments. Between now and the Olympics there’s going to be so much training and preparation to be done, there’s no time for a break like that.

“So all being well and this last tournament goes the way I’m planning it to go, it was good to get the break in February, March time so that I can just focus on preparing the whole time, instead of having to recover and start again. I’ll be ready to hit the ground running.”