20 Sep 2000: Kate Howey of Great Britain celebrates with her silver medal in the women's 70 kilogram Judo event at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. [Photo: Shaun Botterill/ALLSPORT]

Young judo athletes bidding for London 2012 glory are poised to take on the world’s best in the biggest challenge of their lives.

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Coaches at the Performance Institute at Dartford Judo Club, Cotton Lane, are preparing the country’s best starlets, some as young as 19, for the sporting equivalent of a baptism of fire on September 9.

They will be going to the judo World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, home of judo since being invented there nearly 500 years ago.

“It doesn’t get any bigger,” says Great Britain lead development coach and Sydney Games silver medalist, Kate Howey.

“For the younger ones it will be their first World Championships which might be a bit daunting for them. It’s probably good that it’s in Japan because for spectators judo is their national sport.

“In preparation for 2012 it’s absolutely great: the atmosphere and the enormity of how big it is over there. The crowds are very knowledgeable, they applaud good judo and will be on the players’ backs, taunting them if it’s not.”

For Scarlett Woolcock, 20, of Bow Arrow Lane, Dartford being picked is a “dream come true.”

She moved from Devon over a year ago to train with the best after the British Judo Association chose the state-of-the-art facilities in Cotton Lane for its elite programme.

Miss Woolcock said: “It was a bit of a shock to be picked for the Worlds, my aim was U23 Europeans this year.

“It’s going to be a great experience and I want to get as much out of it as I can.”

As if training up to three sessions per day from 10am to 10pm was not a big enough challenge, on Mondays she studies towards a business degree at North West Kent College and wants to be a police officer after life in judo.

“Everyone is fighting for the number one spot at the 2012 Olympics, so it pushes you the whole time to improve and keep the training high,” she added.

The Performance Institute provides everything in one place to boost Great Britain’s medal chances: from the best sparring facilities and opponents, to gym equipment, video analysis, physios and top level coaching.

Howey trained at Dartford Judo Club’s former home in Lowfield Street. Now the former World Champion is responsible for providing continuity from juniors through to senior ranks.

“It may sound strange but it’s a long process, not just about this World Championships. Yes of course we want to win medals. The bigger picture is 2012 or 2016 and I’m very happy with where the Olympic plan is at the moment.”