Coppull teen Chloe Baker hopes to bring home Olympic gold medal at Judo European Cup

One of the youngest to compete, she will fly out this Thursday to Portugal for her first international competition of the year in the hope of taking home gold.

Training four times a week at SKK and Beach Judo Club in Blackburn, as well as regular weekend training camps with the England Talent squad and Great Britain Junior squad, Chloe has been doing judo since she was eight, winning many medals at the local and national competitions, starting off at club level with her first gold medal at Wirral Judo Club.

She attends Runshaw College and was selected as just one of 10 students to be part of the TASS programme (run by UCLAN) where she trains once a week.

She also attends Bath University once a month/every couple of months for a two-day training programme as part of the DISE (Diploma in sporting excellence) Level 3 qualification.

Chloe lives with proud parents - beauty therapy lecturer Katy and stepdad David who works as a HGV driver for Royal Mail, who are also foster carers.

Chloe's mother Katy said: "We are incredibly proud of Chloe.

"It’s going to be tough for her but she is in a positive mind-set after coming second in the British Championships. We are super proud that she was chosen for the England talent development squad and then selected for the Great Britain Junior squad. She is currently ranked number 2 in the country in her weight category despite only just becoming a junior judoka."

After a two-year covid break in which she still trained, Chloe recently stepped up and fought in the seniors also at the British Championship against the current Commonwealth champion Sarah Adlington.

"She did amazing in her first fight in the seniors and considering she doesn’t become a senior for another four years she puts herself forward whenever she can to challenge herself against more experienced judoka."

Receiving sponsorship from Morris Bakery in Coppull, Skk Judo club and Urban Regen Limited based in Bolton that has allowed her to go to Portugal, Katy added that they are looking for more sponsors.

"Sadly, judo is pretty much a self-funded sport and she has now been selected by the two squads to attend competitions at a higher level, but it is still self-funded.

"We are also looking for a local gym that would sponsor her, so she could attend and use the weights and up her fitness programme, until now we had funded that too at Park Hall Gym, but sadly that has now closed."

When she is not studying or competing in events and has the limited time, Chloe also enjoys playing netball and works part-time at the White Lion in Wrightington.