Houdini Emma Reid wants to succeed Sally Conway with an Olympic medal

At the recent 2024 Abu Dhabi World Championships, Emma Reid (GBR) was thrown and held down by former World Champion Audrey Tcheumeo in the opening seconds. But at around 9 seconds, she managed to counter Tcheumeo and impose her own pin, which lasted long enough to Reid the bronze medal. Eight years ago, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sally Conway was caught on the ground by Gevrise Emane, a former World Champion from France. After being pinned for a few seconds, Conway managed to counter Emane and pin her for the full ippon.

It's remarkable how similar the Conway and British Olympian Emma Reid escapes are. Both were pinned by French World Champions, and both managed to achieve what is very rare in judo, an osaekomi counter, to win the match.

Both ended up with bronze. In Reid's case, it was the bronze medal match. Conway did manage to go on and win the bronze later on in the day.

Emma Reid's sporting idols include Sally Conway, a fellow British judoka and Olympic bronze medallist, and her personal sporting philosophy, "Never give up," reflects her persistent and determined approach to both her career and life. Reid's aspirations extend beyond judo; she aims to achieve personal happiness and health while striving for excellence in her sport.

Reid has steadily climbed the ranks in her sport, making a significant impact on the international judo scene. Born on May 24, 1995, in Cambridge, England, Reid has shown a lifelong commitment to judo, a sport she began at the tender age of five at JM Judokwai in Royston. Her parents, both former judokas, inspired her early start in the sport. This early exposure to judo laid the foundation for a career marked by determination and success.

Reid currently resides in Walsall, where she trains at the British Judo Centre of Excellence. Under the guidance of national coach Jamie Johnson and club coach Steve Sandy, Reid has honed her skills and techniques, specializing in o-uchi and harai-goshi. Her training partner, Kelly Peterson-Pollard, provides a robust training environment that has been instrumental in Reid's development as a top-tier athlete.

Emma Reid's journey in judo has been marked by numerous milestones. She made her international senior debut at the 2013 European Cup in London in the -70 kg category. Over the years, she has amassed an impressive list of achievements. In 2021, she won the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi, a significant victory that underscored her growing prowess in the -78 kg weight class. She continued to demonstrate her competitive edge with bronze medals at the Grand Prix events in Zagreb (2021) and Portugal (2023), and she claimed the top spot at the European Open in Sarajevo twice, in 2021 and 2023.

The year 2022 was particularly notable for Reid, as she won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, further establishing her as a formidable competitor on the international stage. Her success continued into 2023, where she earned a third-place finish at the Grand Slam in Almada, Portugal, and placed in the top five at multiple other Grand Slam events, including those in Abu Dhabi and Dushanbe.

In 2024, Emma Reid achieved a career highlight by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi in the -78 kg category. This accomplishment marked her as one of the top judokas in her weight class globally and set the stage for her ambitions at the Paris Olympic Games.

Reid's mother, Lesley Reid, has been a significant influence in her life. A former judoka who won a bronze medal at the 2012 British trials and various IBSA events for visually impaired athletes, Lesley has imparted valuable lessons and unwavering support to Emma. This familial connection to judo has undoubtedly contributed to Emma's success and resilience in the sport.

With her sights set on medaling at the Paris Olympics, Emma Reid embodies the spirit of Houdini in a judogi. Her journey from a young judoka in Cambridge to a world-class world bronze medallist is a testament to her hard work, talent, and the strong support system she has cultivated throughout her life. Reid is on form and may be an asset for the British team, following the success of her idol Sally Conway.