Haywards Heath College student wins Bronze at Pan-American Judo Cup
Sam Tang, a Haywards Heath College A-level student studying maths, further maths, and physics, has recently won bronze in judo at the Pan-American Cup in Montreal.
The competition saw him finish third out of eight competitors in his weight class, which took place last year.
He has been training in judo for nearly a decade. Reflecting on his journey, Sam shared: “Eventually this all paid off, and in 2023 I earned a place on EPP (England Performance Pathway), the official England Judo programme.”
In the past six months alone, Sam has won gold at national competitions, become the top-seeded under-18 player in his weight class, and competed in international tournaments. His previous best performance was in Latvia, where he secured 7th place.
Determined to improve on his past performances, Sam dedicated months to intense cardio training leading up to the Pan-American Cup, he said “I knew that the main thing that held me back in Latvia was my cardio”
The lead-up to the competition was intense, with the weigh-in proving one of the most stressful moments for competitors. Sam explained: “Some are in full sweat suits, soaking in sweat, while others even buzz-cut their hair to lose those extra grams”.
Sam gave a strong performance on the day, reaching the semi-finals, where he faced Canada’s top-seeded player. Despite narrowly losing the match, he persevered and gave everything in his final contest to secure the bronze medal. He said, “I was so exhausted by the end of the contest that I’d forgotten it was the bronze medal fight!”
“I am so pleased that I have the opportunity to experience this, and it has made me all the more determined to win those extra ranking points to get to the Youth Olympics next year.”
Paul Riley, Principal of Haywards Heath College, added: “Sam’s achievement is nothing short of extraordinary, and we are immensely proud of him. Balancing the demands of a rigorous academic schedule with the dedication required to compete at such a high level in judo is a testament to his determination, discipline, and resilience.
“He is an inspiration to all our students, and we are thrilled to support him on his journey to even greater success.”