AFTER claiming her first British title a County Durham girl has set her sights on securing a place in the national judo squad.

Mia Tierney, 12, from Sedgefield, won gold in the under-52kg category at the British Schools Championships last week.

Representing Sedgefield Community College she stormed to Ippon victories in every round, scoring the maximum total a fighter can achieve in a contest.

Tierney has made considerable progress since joining Destination Judo two years ago and her coach, Glynn Fidgeon, who has a British Masters title to his name, has likened her to former Great Britain Olympian Chloe Cowen.

Cowen reached the quarter-finals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and claimed five European medals during her career, and having watched Tierney develop Fidgeon believes the Sedgefield Community College student could go far in the sport.

She will compete in this month’s British Judo Council National Championships later this month, but her focus is on December’s British Championships, where a medal would secure Tierney’s place in the England squad.

“I used to train with Chloe and Mia really reminds me of her,” Fidgeon said. “She’s certainly got all the attributes to go as far as Chloe did, but there’s still plenty of hard work to be done.”

Fidgeon has high hopes for his latest British champion but the coach has admitted he may face a fight to keep Tierney involved in the sport.

He said: “She’s developed quite quickly, but she’s one of these kids that is good at everything.

“She’s a real all-rounder. She’s on the school football team and she plays cricket. She’s been scouted by quite a few cricket teams.

“She will have decisions to make in a couple of years time if she keeps on developing the way she is but for now it’s all about improving. There’s no doubt she could go far in the sport.

“I had a conversation with her after winning the British title and she was chuffed, but it was like water off a duck’s back to her. She just takes everything in her stride and excels in everything she does.

“Mia will be against a more difficult pool of competitions at the British Championships so it will be a step up for her. The aim is to medal there and earn a place in the England squad.”

Tierney was part of a small squad from Destination Judo that competed at the British Schools Championships and the club, which is based at several venues across County Durham, won more medals.

Becky Butler, 12, representing St Leonards Comprehensive won silver in the under-44kg category, while 13-year-old Kazia Simpson won bronze for Sedgefield Community College in the 44kg section.

Grace McGlone, 11, from Hermitage Academy in Chester-le-Street, won bronze in the 40kg category and Oxclose Primary School pupil Mae Bostock beat the British champion on her route to winning bronze in the 32kg category.

Charlotte Kendal, 11, from Gateshead, completed the successful trip for Destination when she won bronze in the over-57kg section.

Fidgeon quit his job as a chef to set up the club and become a full-time coach in 2010 and since starting it has gone from strength to strength.

“We’ve grown into the biggest membership club in the country with over 450 members,” the coach said.

“The club has just gone from strength to strength ever since we started. They were all beginners when they joined and it’s been great to be able to nurture the talent we’ve got here.

“Each year that goes by each and every one of them is progressing and I’ve got lots of little ones who are coming through.

“They are all aiming to get spots on the England team and I know they’ll all work hard over the next few months.”