Karen Briggs
7th Dan, MBE
Personal information
NationalityBritish (English)
Born (1963-04-11) 11 April 1963 (age 60)
Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Weight48 kg (106 lb; 7.6 st)
Sport
Country Great Britain
ClubKingston Fairholme
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Paris -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1984 Vienna -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1986 Maastricht -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1989 Belgrade -48 kg
Silver medal – second place 1991 Barcelona -48 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Oslo -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1983 Genoa -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1984 Primasens -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1986 London -48 kg
Gold medal – first place 1987 Paris -48 kg
Silver medal – second place 1989 Helsinki -48 kg
Silver medal – second place 1990 Frankfurt -48 kg
Silver medal – second place 1991 Prague -48 kg
Bronze medal – third place 1981 Madrid -48 kg
Bronze medal – third place 1985 Landskrona -52 kg
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1990 Auckland 48 kg

Karen Valerie Briggs (married name Karen Inman) MBE (born 11 April 1963) is a retired British judoka. Internationally active throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Briggs was a multiple World (four-time) and European (five-time) champion, represented Great Britain at the 1992 Olympic Games, and won gold for England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. She is a member of the IJF Hall of Fame, and recognised as one of the most successful British and female judoka of all time.[1]

Judo career

Briggs came to significant prominence after winning the gold medal at the 1982 World Judo Championships in the under 48kg category. She went on to be world champion on four occasions winning five World Championship gold medals in her weight category at the 1984 World Judo Championships, in Vienna, the 1986 World Judo Championships, in Maastricht and the 1989 World Judo Championships, in Belgrade.[1]

From 1982 to 1987 she was European champion five times after taking the gold medal at the European Judo Championships.[1] In 1986, she won the gold medal in the 48kg weight category at the judo demonstration sport event as part of the 1986 Commonwealth Games.[2]

In 1990, she represented England and won a gold medal in the 48 kg extra-lightweight, at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.[3][4]

In 1992, she represented Great Britain at the 1992 Summer Olympics, this was the first time women's judo was included as an official Olympic sport (the first was as a demonstration event in 1988). She placed fifth after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the women's 48kg category.[5]

In addition to her multiple international titles, she won the bantamweight division at the British Judo Championships in 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1991.[6]

Awards

In August 2015 Briggs was inducted into the IJF hall of fame [7]

Personal life

She is married to Peter Inman, son of Olympic judo coach Roy Inman, and now teaches judo at schools in East Yorkshire. On 9 July 2013 the University of Hull granted to Karen the award of Doctor of the University, honoris causa.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Karen Briggs profile". Judo Inside. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Commonwealth Games Edinburgh - Event". Judo Inside. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  3. ^ "1990 Athletes". Team England.
  4. ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  5. ^ "Briggs cheers on judo's return". BBC Sport. 22 June 2002. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  6. ^ "British Championships - Event results". Judo Inside. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Karen Briggs inducted in to IJF Hall of Fame". 24 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Honorary graduates – summer 2013: Karen Inman, MBE – Ceremony 5: Doctor of the University, honoris causa". University of Hull. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2017.

External links


World Judo Championships — Women's Extra Lightweight
European Judo Championships — Women's Extra Lightweight
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