Ethan Nairne clinched the gold medal in the men’s -73kg judo final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, edging out fellow England competitor Ben Levy on the second and final day of the judo events.
The 24-year-old from Weston-super-Mare, who trains in Bristol, credited his sister Lele’s bronze medal win in the -57kg category on the previous day as a major source of inspiration. “Her getting bronze spurred me on even more,” Nairne said. “I’ve only seen her twice today, but it motivated me to go out there and do my best.”
The all-English final was a closely contested battle that went the full distance, with Nairne securing victory by a Yuko score. Nairne remarked on the significance of the weekend for his family: “What a weekend it’s been for the Nairne family. Her success motivated me to perform at my best. I’m so relieved. I’ve wanted to achieve this for a long time.”
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The match took place in front of the Prince and Princess of Wales, with Nairne’s joy in stark contrast to Levy’s disappointment. The two athletes are well acquainted, having trained together regularly.
Meanwhile, in the boxing ring, Trowbridge’s Ruby White ended her impressive 68-fight unbeaten streak, securing a silver medal after a unanimous 5-0 decision loss to India’s Sakshi Chaudhary in the women’s 51kg final. The 19-year-old White had a commendable run throughout the competition but had to settle for silver this time around.