12 Nov 2011 Draper Selected for England Talent Development Squad

Keisen under 60kg star James Draper, found himself propelled to the very top echelons of England Judo after receiving confirmation that he has been selected for the England Talent Development Squad. Having only received his call up to the England Squad a week previous, Draper attended the Talent Squad assessment at the English Insitute of Sport in Sheffield on 6th November. The Talent Squad receives exclusive additional support through such things as domestic residential training camps, international competitons and international training camps. Only the very best England Squad players are promoted to this group and the assessment process is designed to test each athletes physical and technical abilities to the limit.

Upon receiving notification of his selection, Draper commented, "I've always dreamed of making the England Squad and wondered whether the chance was going to pass me by. But now to be invited onto the England programme and then within a week be selected for the Talent Development Squad I'm still pinching myself to see if it is real." he added, "I have to give credit to the support I've received from Keisen Judo in East Grinstead and also the high performance cell at Tonbridge Judo Club for the way my results have improved over the last year".

Draper will not be resting on his laurels and has a busy programme in the run up to Christmas and in the New Year. In December he will be competing in the Commonwealth Judo Championship Trials where he will be making his bid for a place in the England senior team for the games in January, and he will also be attending a training camp the week before Christmas and a Talent Squad weekend in Sheffield in early January.

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