Following the successful first day of competition in Cardiff, with Isaac Bezzina winning silver and Jeremy Saywell winning bronze, it was the turn of the senior team to perform yesterday.

Marcon Bezzina won the first silver medal for Malta and Jeremy Saywell again won bronze in the senior category in the Commonwealth Judo Championships.

After beating Sarah Connolly from Wales, with two yuko, Bezzinaproceeded to the semi-final of the category. Next opponent was another South African, Natasha Glassford (twice silver medallist in African Championships) and Bezzina also managed to beat her to qualify for the final match which was held in the evening. Although tired, Bezzina gave a spectacular performance in the final against Caroline Kinane (England) to win her silver medal. This was Malta’s first (senior) silver medal at the Commonwealth Judo Championships.

The other star at these championships was Jeremy Saywell. He played Patrick Gane from Canada first and lost but Saywell recovered to fight for bronze medal. In the first contest he fought Benny Huynh from Australia, whom he had beaten the day before. The next match was against the Welsh veteran Jason Picton (Gold Medallist in Commonwealth Championships) whom Saywell eliminated by Ippon. The bronze medal fight was against another host country Judoka - Jamie Macdonald. The contest was an impressive one. Saywell was losing by Wazari, but that did not demoralize him. In a matter of seconds, he scored a Yuko and then a wonderful Ippon with tomeo-nage (stomach throw), thus winning his second bronze medal.

Brent Law placed 5th in his category after losing to Australian Nathan Katz (two silver medals at the Continental Championships). Law eliminated all his opponents in the repechage: first the Welsh Ashley Davies, and next Boanerges Nartey from Ghana. He lost the bronze medal fight however, against the Autralian Tom Pappas (7th 2010 World Cup).

Joanna Camilleri lost her fights against the English Kate White and the Scottish Chloe Jackson (twice silver medallist in European Cups and twice gold medallist in the Junior National Championships).

Isaac Bezzina and Patrick Gamble competed the -90kgs senior category. Isaac Bezzina looked exhausted from the day before, since he finished his final match late at night. He still made his weight and went on the mat against the English Nicoli Daley (7th European Cup 2011) however he surrendered during the match against Englishman Nicoli Daley when he was feeling too sick to continue. Gamble could only finish fifth.