Visually impaired judo: I've become a champion in a year

A visually impaired woman from County Antrim has become an international judo champion, a year after taking up the sport.

Collette Kerr is a member of Simply Judo Adapts in Ballymoney.

She won gold at the British Open Adaptive and Visually Impaired Judo Championships in Wales.

"People make assumptions that just because you're visually impaired, you are restricted in what you can do and that's not always the case," she said.

She was part of the Irish Adaptive Judo Team who entered the tournament in Cardiff last month.

"I had no idea when I started just over a year ago that the sport would take over so much of my life, but I love it," Collette said.

"With visually impaired judo, it's not about what you can't do on the mat, it's about what you can do."

Judo and martial arts are becoming more popular among people with sight difficulties and there are hundreds of clubs throughout the UK that offer training for visually impaired competitors.

Visually impaired judo refers to people who are partially sighted, those registered blind with some vision, as well as those who are completely blind.

Competitors start by placing their hands on each others' judo robes and referees communicate by tapping them on the shoulder or giving verbal instructions.

Collette trains with her husband Gaven who has also taken up the sport.

"What Collette has been able to achieve over a short time period is simply amazing", he said.

He added: "Martial arts is very challenging for anyone, so Collette really is an inspiration.

"She has brought that tenacity, that she brings to every element to her life, to the sport."

Sean Fleming, president of the Irish Judo Association, said the sport could be doing more to raise awareness and make it more accessible to those with visual impairments.

"But getting stories like Collette's out there is hugely important, it shows that judo is for everyone," he said.

Outside of judo, Collette works as a sight loss counsellor for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Counsellors provide emotional support for those dealing with sight loss.

"I just like helping people and when they understand that I also have sight loss, it adds that little bit of empathy," she said.

"It's about showing people that life can go on and you can still achieve so much; that's why I'm so grateful to the sport of judo."

Collette was recently honoured with a reception hosted by the mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Council.

"I was just so happy to bring the gold home to the club, but I don't think it's all sunk in yet," she said.

She added: "I just want people to see that an ordinary person like me was able to train hard, enter a competition and come away with a medal at that level."