Clara displays her Devon Judoka award

Clara Gawlas of Kingsley School Judo Club has been voted the Devon County Youth Female Judoka of the Year for 2012.

Fifteen-year-old Clara was the only Devon female to finish inside the top 10 in the BJA National Rankings last year, finishing in ninth place in the 63 kg Cadet Class.

Clara produced a number of fine performances at national level, with her best result winning silver at the Welsh Open in October.

She also finished fifth at the Heart of England, Kent International and seventh at the Midland Aged Banded events. Clara also narrowly lost out for the bronze in the 2012 British Schools Championships finishing again in fifth Place. She won silver in the Western Area Closed championships after losing to GB International Lele Naine in the final and finished the year by being selected to represent the Devon Girls team at the area team championships in Somerset, where she won her fights to help the team take gold.

Clara also qualified as a BJA Young TOG official last year and regularly attends both England Excel sessions in Bath and Plymouth.