to view Heathscene magazine featuring Danny Williams on page 10

london 2012
Heading <strong>to</strong> the Olympic Games,
Surrey Heath’s own <strong>Danny</strong> <strong>Williams</strong>
Three members of Camberley Judo Club have been selected <strong>to</strong> represent Team GB.
<strong>Danny</strong> <strong>Williams</strong>, Wins<strong>to</strong>n Gordon and Karina Bryant will represent their
country at the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games. A fourth member
of the team, Tom Davis, is also selected as Olympic reserve.
<strong>Danny</strong> <strong>Williams</strong> will compete in his first Olympic Games. <strong>Danny</strong> is in great form,
just recently winning the bronze medal at the Czech European Cup and placing 5th
in the European Team Championships with the GB Men’s team. We chatted <strong>to</strong>
<strong>Danny</strong> about his hopes:
Congratulations on being selected
for Team GB. How did you feel
when you heard you’d been
selected?
Happy and relieved, it’s a weight off
my mind. The pressure I put on
myself with training was high and
until the moment you hear you’re
going forward you can’t think
about competing.
Where in Surrey Heath do you live?
I moved <strong>to</strong> Camberley Judo Club <strong>to</strong>
train in 2009 and I’ve lived here
since then.
Where, how and at what age did
you start Judo?
I'm originally from Shrewsbury in
Shropshire. On the local estate where
I grew up my mum <strong>to</strong>ok me <strong>to</strong> a Judo
club at the age of four. I can still
remember my first session there
and enjoying it. I’ve been in<strong>to</strong> Judo
ever since.
What have your career highlights
been so far?
Winning Gold in the European Cup in
Bosnia and competing in the World
Championships at Bercy Stadium in
Paris in 2011.
How often do you train and what
does it involve?
In a typical week I train three times a
day, five days a week. It includes
condition and strength training as well
as one-on-one practice under
conditions of actual contest.
What does competing in
the Olympics mean <strong>to</strong>
you?
Getting the chance <strong>to</strong>
do the thing I love
in front of people
I love on a
world stage.
I’ve always
wanted <strong>to</strong> be
an Olympic
Champion
and this is my
opportunity;
I’m going <strong>to</strong>
give all I’ve got
<strong>to</strong> perform as
well as I can.
When are you
competing?
In the under 73kg weight category
on Monday 30 July.
What do you hope <strong>to</strong> achieve at
London 2012?
I’m still young in my senior career. Up
<strong>to</strong> this point I’ve not placed in a global
event. My coach has given me a goal
of <strong>to</strong>p 7. If I achieve that I’ll be
satisfied, but I’d love <strong>to</strong> get a medal.
Go Surrey
For more about what's happening in and around Surrey during the London 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games Visit www.gosurrey.info Follow @GoSurreyLive on Twitter
Like gosurrey on Facebook. Call 0300 200 1018.
10 I <strong>Heathscene</strong> I www.surreyheath.gov.uk