SAMURAI’s Laura Dangerfield produced a storming display to win the club’s first ever gold at the Venray International Open in Holland.

The competition is the largest club open judo competition in Europe with around 2,000 entries from over 30 countries from both inside and outside Europe at the two-day event.

Five members of the Wyre Forest outfit competed but it was Dangerfield who shone.

She won all of her contests with her usual groundwork skills and Dangerfield’s most difficult opponents came from Czech Republic and Netherlands.

But none were a match for Dangerfield, particularly on the ground where she is always at her best, and she stormed home to win the gold. She had struggled with an elbow injury of late which has restricted her training, but this is her third consecutive gold, following the Antwerp and London Opens last month.

There was disappointment for Leah Grosvenor, who is undefeated in Britain since September and has won gold at the British Championships, Scottish and Welsh Opens, and the Midlands, London and North-West Opens.

She started out as firm favourite to be the first Samurai to win a gold at Venray, despite the 30 quality players in her category.

After a bye in the first round, she comfortably took apart a top Belgian player in round two to reach the quarter-finals against a Polish girl, who looked by far the toughest opponent in Grovernor’s half of the draw.

But she was soon a high score up and cruising when she evaded one of her opponent’s throws and in doing so twisted her ankle. Despite limping badly through the remaining minute of the contest but managed to hold on to win.

Up against a Dutch player, Grosvenor was unable to put weight on her foot and despite going a score up in the early stages was unable to keep moving and was caught for a higher score throw. Coaches then pulled her out of the bronze clash.

Meanwhile, Matt Hemer and Hetty Tinssdale both won contests to finish in seventh place in their categories and there was also a good effort from Darcie Hancocks.