Gemma Gibbons
Gemma Jeanette Gibbons (born 6 January 1987) is a British judoka. Competing in the women's –70 kg category, she has represented England and Great Britain at Junior, U-23, 'B' and Senior level.
Early and personal life[edit]
Born in Charlton, London, Gibbons began practising Judo at six years of age with the Metro Judo Club in Blackheath, London.[4] She attended Westwood College (now Harris Academy Falconwood).[5] Gibbons represented Greenwich in judo at the London Youth Games.[6] She is also the 2013 patron for London Youth Games[7] and was inducted into the London Youth Games Hall of Fame in 2012.
Gemma studied at the London Leisure College, the sports, leisure and travel department of Greenwich Community College, between 2004 and 2006 on 'BTEC National Award' and 'BTEC National Certificate in Sports and Exercise Science' courses. Starting her degree in Sports Performance at the University of Bath, Gibbons continued to practice Judo, winning a Full Blues award in 2007 from the University.
In June 2013 she married Scottish judoka Euan Burton at The Caves in Edinburgh. The couple also now reside in the city.[2][3] She subsequently put her studies for a physical education teaching degree on hold, to concentrate on working towards competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[2]
Natalie Powell was selected ahead of Gibbons to represent GB at the 2016 Summer Olympics.[8]
Career[edit]
Gibbons started training with the Metro Judo Club, and after training with UELSports at the University of East London, is now a member of the British Judo Performance Institute.
Gibbons won the BBC Radio London Young Sports Woman of the Year Award 2006.[9] Shortly after graduating, she won bronze in the under-70 kg class at the 2009 World University Games.[10]
Kate Howey, Performance Development Squad Coach for 2012 stated that Gibbons "is one of our best medal hopes for judo" in the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.[11] In 2012 and ranked 42nd in the world at the time, at the 2012 London Olympics Gibbons won the silver medal, losing to Kayla Harrison in the -78 kg event.[12] Television coverage of the Olympics showed footage of a teary-eyed Gibbons looking upwards and mouthing "I love you mum" after winning her semifinal match, thus guaranteeing a medal. Gibbons had lost her mother to leukaemia years earlier. The moment became an iconic image of the Games, featuring by the media in several compilations and montages connected with the event.[13]