KENT judo star Casey Belsey is targeting the Beijing Olympics in 2008 after being crowned a national champion.

Belsey, 15, a pupil at Minster College on Sheppey, took home a gold medal from the British Judo National Age Band Championships in Sheffield last month after winning all four bouts in the under 46kg category.

The tournament is categorised into weight and age groups, with the winners becoming national champions and automatically taking a place on the British Judo World Class Start Squad.

Belsey, a high blue belt, is now training for the European Championships next summer, and has his eye on being a member of the British squad for the Olympics in 2008.

His mother Jane said "With Casey it’s judo, judo, judo. He has definitely improved over the last year and he is really dedicated.

"He trains four times a week at Dartford Judo club and on top of that, does weight training and running."

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