Mount Maunganui's commonwealth games Judoka Chanel says Judo will be on the back burner this year while she focuses on university studies.

She still took gold in the under 52kg women's class at the Western Bay of Plenty and Waikato open competition being held at Aquinas College this weekend.

Chanel going for the choke hold in the medal fight with Emma Rouse. Picture: Tracy Hardy

'My first two fights went really well,” says chanel.

She won gold in the Junior women, but came second to Auckland's Emma Rouse in the senior women's bout.

'It must have disappointed her a little bit,” says Judo NZ sports director Chris Kingston. 'After the commonwealth games she had a bit of a rest and she hasn't been training as hard as she would have been leading up to the commonwealth games. And I guess that showed in her performance yesterday, but she's back into it now and hopefully training hard and back up to speed again.”

Auckland's Emma Rouse took the gold medal in the senior women's fight.

Now age 20, Chanel started with Judo when she was seven. Since last year's commonwealth Games she's re-evaluating her competition choices.

'There's the Auckland International which is quite a big one with a lot of international players coming, in three weeks. And then I've got nationals coming up in October, and that is in Tauranga, here again,' says Chanel.

'I'm not too sure of my plans yet, I've got uni on and I'm just going to focus on that this year, and think about travelling again after finishing my degree.”

When New Zealand Judo players focus on uni, it means they won't be doing a lot of international tournaments, says Chris.

'Expense and time come into that. Most of the competitions are in Europe or Asia. By the time you get there, acclimatise, do the comp and your back again, you have lost a week at least, and quite a few thousands of dollars.”

Today's competition focuses on the young and the old. Sunday morning was the under 15s, and the afternoon is for the over 40s, over 50s – and the one over 60 who is still competing.

For the young it's all rush and Its all rush and bust, but the older players are cunning, says Chris.

'What they lack in fitness is made up for in cunning. They basically wait for the other guy to make a mistake and seize the moment.

The oldest competitor is 61. He's been doing judo for the best part of 50 years. He knows what he's doing and some of those young guys will have a go at him and he will just take them to school, more than anything else.

'He's got lots and lots of experience there and he knows how to take any opportunity.”

The younger players win occasionally, says Chris.

'They get the odd one in, but most of the time the experience shows through.”

Pictures from Sunday's under 15 competition. Photos: Cameron Avery.