Harry thanks ‘best crowd’ after bronze

» IT was a crowded house at Coventry Arena to watch Stroud judoka Harry Lovell-hewitt clinch bronze in the men’s -100kg category.

Lovell-hewitt was roared on by a raucous crowd in Coventry as he beat Australian Kayhan Ozcicek-takagi with an ippon 20 seconds from time. Lovellhewitt believes it is the best audience he has ever competed in front of.

“It felt amazing walking out to the crowd with that noise, I’ve never done an event with that sort of noise and a home crowd,” said Lovell-hewitt. “Other British ones, it’s not quite the same, but an international one with everyone cheering for the home nation, it’s amazing.”

Lovell-hewitt, 24, won the won the European Cup Under-21 in Lignano in 2018. He picked up a silver and a bronze at senior European Opens in 2019 (Odivelas) and 2021 (Sarajevo) .

The Gloucester Rugby fan was crowned junior national champion earlier in his career. He has also turned out for Minchinhampton RFC along with dad Alex.

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