WARRINGTON judo queen Abbie Cunningham was in a league of her own at the European Cadet Championships.
The 16-year-old won all five of her fights inside the distance to become the first back-to-back winner in the history of the event.
Josie Cunningham, Abbie's mum, said: "Abbie thoroughly deserved to make history in Azerbaijan. She has worked so hard for her success and I am very proud of her."
Graham Heaton, Abbie's coach at the Warrington Judo Club, said: "I knew she would do it. She is one of the best prospects Great Britain has got at the moment."
Abbie's only regret in former Soviet Union state Azerbaijan was that she was denied the chance to settle an old score.
Abbie was denied a gold medal in the 2003 European Youth Olympics by a girl from Hungary and was itching for a rematch.
But the girl failed to come through her half of the draw and Abbie had to settle for claiming the scalp of a talented German in the final of the open weight category.
She was the second German to succumb to Abbie's talents in Azerbaijan. Abbie also wiped the floor with girls from Italy, Finland and Poland.
Heaton said: "Abbie will now move up a notch and compete at junior level. She will be taking part in the British Junior Open in Crystal Palace at the weekend before setting her sights on the Junior European Championships which will be held in Sarajevo in November.
"Abbie will be one of the favourites in Crystal Palace. It is an under 19s event and the competition should be tough but she is used to fighting people older than her and I'm sure she'll do well."
Josie said: "Abbie keeps getting better and better. She has great support from her club mates and in Graham she has the perfect coach. He is a major talent and we will never be able to thank him enough for what he has done for her."
Dave Lawrenson
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