No-one pushes her around

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 10

No-one pushes her around

By

TIM DUNBAR

Sue Lytollis had a big surprise sprung on her during April Fools’ Day, but the result was something she coveted — a black belt in judo. The 19-year-old Rangiora girl was in Dunedin for a promotions tournament at Moreau College when the New Zealand Judo Federation president (Mr Laurie Hargreaves)

confronted her with a snap line-up. She had to fight eight girls (four brown belts and four blues) in succession and could not lose if she was to win promotion. One half point was allowed, but the rest of the fights had to be straight wins. Miss Lytollis came

through with honours and joined the handful of women in the South Island who have the grading. She is believed to be the only one to gain her black belt through batsugan (fighting).

Her main aim at the Dunedin tournament, presided over by the South Island coach, Brian Cloynes (a fourth dan and former captain of the British national team), was to gather points by beating brown belt holders in contests. But the line-up was organised, and she became one of the three black belts produced from the 30 browns at Dunedin. “You have to learn the hard way when you are the only female in a class of about 40 men.” That was the position Miss Lytollis was in when she began judo in Auckland as a 13-year-old.

She likened the organising of a bout with another pupil as something similar to being asked to dance — but this sort of “dance” was a rather bruising wav of getting acquainted with the opposite sex.

“It was a case of having to smash their heads in first,” Miss Lytollis said. Her first coach was Ivan Wills, at the Howick Academy of Judo, but she moved to Oamaru about two years ago and still regards Lex Hoodenrood, her teacher there, as her coach, even though she is now attached to the International club in Christchurch, “Lex'was there on Saturday when I got the black belt.” She has not yet been at a national tournament, but is keen to attend the one in New Plymouth over

Queen’s Birthday weekend. Also in her weight division will be Sandy Manderson (Canterbury) and Joanne Allen (Wellington), both black belts. Miss Manderson, aged 23, won a bronze medal in the unofficial world tournament in London, and eventually emulating her much more experienced rival is an obvious goal for Miss Lytollis. Does she have a chance of beating Miss Manderson at New Plymouth? The question brought a laugh but an earnest reply. “I’ll have a try.” Miss Lytollis, a cadet journalist with “The Press” is intent on gaining national honours and thinks she has “a fair chance of making the team” when New Zealand participates in the next Oceania tournament, set down for Rotorua in 1979.