AGAINST all odds 13-year-old Abbie Cunningham became Junior Youth National Judo champion among a field of Olympic standard athletes up to the age of 21.

Blue belt Cunningham fought in Birmingham at the weekend and in the final defeated a 17-year-old black belt. This is added to the national junior title she won in November for the second year running.

Warrington Judo Club secretary John Gatefield was amazed.

He said: "The achievement is unprecedented and she is phenominal.

"To be in a tournament with competitors who were in the Olympics and some eight years her senior and wipe the floor with them is unbelievable. I can never remember it happening before."

Abbie fights in the top weight category but is one of the lightest fighters in that bracket. She has to wait three years before she can reach black belt status yet she already disposes of second dans with ease.

Last year she took on the German Olympic squad and got a silver medal.

Six feet tall and 15 stone black belt Gatefield said: "Everywhere she goes she is mopping up.

"When I fight her in practice she throws me off the mat with such force and she's laughing as she does it.

"If she doesn't get into the Olympics I don't know who will!"

However, success does not come easy for Abbie. She trains at Warrington Judo Club at least three times a week as well as other fitness work.

Gatefield said: "She is dedicated and always doing some kind of sport. She is very fit and has the bottle. It doesn't matter if she has coughs, colds or flu she will always train."

Another of Warrington Judo Club's memebers, Pete Lomax, also became national champion in the junior youth section and on the same day fought in the senior section and got bronze.