Bathgate judo champ clinches title

Sep 29 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

BATHGATE judo star Scott McKeating won two gold medals at the PSUK British Championships in Surrey last weekend.

The Whitburn Judo Club fighter had battled back to fitness from a shoulder injury that forced him to the sidelines for two years, and marked his return with success in his under-73kg weight division in the Police Sport tournament.

The Lothian and Borders Special Constable then showed how much he is back to full strength when he dumped an opponent weighing in at 120kg in the open weight final. The double success saw him named “fighter of the day”.

Scott, who works as a gym instructor at Xcite Bathgate, has been spending his free time working with the equipment in his workplace to regain fitness.

“My work has been very supportive,” he said. “These are the same facilities they are using for the 2012 Olympics and it’s amazing to have them in West Lothian.

“I had to undergo reconstructive surgery and it has taken me two years to get back to full strength and fitness.”

Scott’s next big test is the Scottish Open Championships, at Ravenscraig on October 23. After that, he’s off to Holland to take on Dutch opponents and attend a training camp.

Scott was initially selected for the Commonwealth Games, but his lay-off forced him to withdraw. However, his Games dream is now alive once again. “If I can make the Games when they are held in my home country it would be a fantastic experience,” he said.