BRS are delighted to announce the sponsorship of Cailin Calder – a rising star in British Judo.
Cailin, who is tipped to represent Scotland in the next Commonwealth Games and is currently Senior British Champion in the -100kg category.
Managing Director of BRS Darren Perrie, approached the youngster early in 2020 about sponsorship after watching Cailin’s sporting prowess flourish during their time training at the same dojo – Judo Club Espirit, in Alloa.
Cailin (22), said: “I am grateful to Darren and BRS for giving me their backing. I was delighted when he approached me – it was like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“The sponsorship has had a huge impact on my life. With their financial support I am able to focus on my training and dedicate my life to judo without distraction which will give me a better chance of competing and succeeding at the highest level.”
Darren is delighted to be able to support Cailin’s training and he says he has an admiration for the youngster’s talent and drive.
He added: “I took up judo when I was 40 and have grown to know Cailin’s family well through training at his dad Lee’s Espirt Dojo in Alloa over the last few years and I consider Cailin a friend.
“We are proud to support Cailin’s sporting development and be able to make this a professional career for him. Judo is a tough sport and take a lot of drive to do well and Cailin has the right attributes for success to get great success at the top level.
“I grew up watching Bruce Lee films and have always been a keen martial arts enthusiast so this is an area of personal interest for me and it has been an incredible experience for me getting trained by a champion!”
Cailin has been able to give up his job as a retail assistant to focus on his training following the sponsorship deal and is being coached by his brother Reece (who won a European bronze medal in judo in 2017) and his father Lee, a Judo Scotland Talent Development Support Coach. Cailin is also part time coaching at Judo Club Espirit passing on some of his inspiration and technique to the younger generation. He added: “I am helping the kids achieve things they never thought they would -from teaching them how to do a forward role to winning a gold medal!”
With the corona virus starting to spread across the world Cailin says he is disappointed his next tournament – the Swiss Open – has been cancelled but his broader focus is on working towards the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with the next Olympics in Paris two years a future goal.
He added: “In judo I love fighting and I love winning – it has been really beneficial for me to immerse myself completely in judo with the help of BRS and focus on what I need to do to succeed.”
