TALENTED judo duo Harvey Burns and Ethan Watson have shown their mat mastery in Sweden.

The Furness Judo Club pair travelled to Halmstad’s Hogskolehallen Sports Centre to compete in the National Cup and returned with bronze medals.

They were part of a 10-strong team selected from around Lancashire to take on players from Finland, Denmark, Norway and the host nation.

Watson, 15, fought in the under-46kg group, with Burns, 13, in the under-42kg category.

Watson was drawn in a pool of four and lost his first fight but went on to win his next two, one with an impressive arm lock to make his opponent submit.

The results meant he came second in his pool and gained a place into the semi-finals, where he was narrowly beaten.

Despite the loss, Watson went on to win his next fight to take a well-earned bronze.

Burns was also drawn in a four-man pool and showed some great skills in both standing and groundwork judo to win all three of his fights and top the pool.

That meant qualification for the semi-finals, where his fight went the distance and the Furness youngster lost by the smallest of scores.

He went on to win the next fight to take a hard-fought bronze.

Furness Judo Club coach Simon Burns said: “The competition was a great experience for the boys and they also took part in a day’s training camp after the event.”

Furness Judo Club are sending a squad of children to fight in the North West Area Closed Championships at Sutton Sports Centre, St Helens, in October. They are hoping to impress and win some more medals.