Year 11 student Joshua Snelgar has won gold in the Cadet Men's U73kg weight category (15-17 years) at the National Judo Championships in Wellington. This is his first year competing in this age group.

This success comes on the back of  winning bronze in the Junior Men's section of the Australian Secondary School Judo Champs in Brisbane over the holidays. Joshua fought really well, losing in the semi-final to a Year 13 from Canberra (Australian number one) and then winning the fight for third against a boy from Brisbane.

In the Queensland Open a couple of days later, he lost in the semi-final to a boy from New South Wales (cadet world ranked player), and again won the third-place fight.

It was a great learning experience for him, and hopefully the first of many.

Joshua has been doing judo since he was five and attended his first nationals at the age of seven. Over the years he has finished third a couple of times and second a couple of times.