Shropshire Star

Natalie Powell sets her sights on Euro medal

Natalie Powell feels she is ready to take her judo up a level as the Powys fighter targets a medal at the European Championships on the first step towards Tokyo 2020.

Published

The 26-year-old Irfon Judo Club member was 2014 Commonwealth Games champion and followed that up with European bronze from last year's tournament in Kazan, Russia.

However, the Rio Olympics ended in disappointment as Powell lost in the quarter-finals to eventual runner-up Audrey Tcheumeo of France and then was not able to come through the repechage for a chance at the bronze medal.

Powell, though, believes she can only grow stronger from those experiences which will stand her in good stead on the next cycle towards Japan.

"Rio was invaluable, it was so different to any competition I had done in my life. Everybody told me what I was going to expect, told me the emotions I would feel, but until I actually experienced it, you could not really understand it," said Powell, who is in action in Poland on Saturday.

"My consistency has been pretty good, so now I just need to up it a level."

Powell feels a new relaxed mindset can help her focus on the challenges ahead.

"I am a better judo player now then I was both in Glasgow and Rio, now there is no pressure like there was around both those tournaments," she said.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.