'Blood, sweat and tears' but judo's Rachael Hawkes and Joshua Green 'buzzing' with Commonwealth Games bronze double

The Co Tyrone judoka – coached by her sister, Sarah – got back to her feet after medical attention to beat Holly Devall from Wales.

And then, in her bronze medal match against Canada’s Charlie Thibault, took less than two minutes to produce ippon to end the contest and take her place on the podium.

There was an outpouring of emotion at the end from Hawkes inside the packed SEC Arena in Glasgow.

“I don't think I've ever let a scream out of me like that in my life," she said following the big moment. “I suppose it was just all the hard work and all the effort put into it.

"And going through all that blood, sweat and tears when you finally get that medal for Northern Ireland, which has been my goal for years now.

"Sometimes it all just comes out in a big scream but it just means the world.

“I got injured (first fight) and obviously that can throw you off a little bit, obviously the main priority was my health first.

"So Sarah brought me to the doctor, got me checked over and they were then happy for me to continue as long as I was happy.

“I thought ‘I'm going to dig in, I can't quit now, I have to go out and give it my all’.

"And I'm very, very glad I did because then I went on to win the repechage and then obviously just won the bronze fight.

"And I literally couldn't be happier and any prouder to be from Northern Ireland.

"And I just hope that I've done the country proud.”

The success for Hawkes was made all the sweeter as she had just narrowly missed out on a medal four years ago.

“Birmingham was hard...I lost out in the bronze and, as I say, sometimes losses like that can really devastate you,” she said after success in the women’s -70kg class. “And I probably could have stopped them but I thought ‘no, I want this medal for Northern Ireland’.

“I have to get up and keep going, just get through it and you just have to keep building.

"And obviously it was all worth it in the end to just keep that grit and determination.

"And it makes it easier when your coach is your sister.

"It just spurs you on and gives you that little extra nudge because she's been there from the very beginning when we were little kids starting out as white belts.

"So it was all worth it.

“Maybe Birmingham wasn't meant to be for me and I had to just go through that extra bit of fight for a few years to get where I am now.”

Hawkes is looking forward to returning to Omagh.

“I hope the people back home heard it because it was one hell of a scream,” she said. “I can't wait to bring the medal back home.

“My family, my community and the whole of Omagh has backed me for years.

"I've always wanted to bring them back a Commonwealth medal because it's the one time, it's so special to represent Northern Ireland, it's a real honour.

“To be able to bring that medal back home to Omagh...it's going to be the best feeling, I can't wait.

“I've fought at many, many competitions but the Commonwealth is special.

"It is the one time you get to represent Northern Ireland and it's a massive multi-sport event.

"To even get selected is an honour but to now be able to bring that medal home is an absolute privilege.

"And just to do Northern Ireland proud and show the world what our wee country can do.”

Sarah was delighted to help her sister to glory.

“It's amazing,” said the coach. “I mean, we work well...don't get me wrong, as sisters we have our moments, it means obviously we just know each other inside out.

“I know the way she fights, I know how she needs to fight, what she needs to do.

"I know where she's sat at, I know what she's about.

"And it's just I nearly feel like I'm out on the mat with her.

“I nearly want to jump out on the mat with her to be honest...but it just feels really special when it's not only your player but it's your actual sister as well.

"It means the world just to celebrate this with her.”

Joshua Green finished “buzzing” with bronze across his Commonwealth Games showcase for Team NI in the men’s -73kg category.

“Buzzing...happy days, it’s been a good day, a long day but all good in the end,” said Green. “Obviously disappointed not to be in the final, but I lost to the English boy (Benjamin Levy), he's a good boy, I knew it was going to be a tough scrap anyway and it could have gone either way.

"Unfortunately it went his way...so I went back, had about an hour and a half to chill, regroup, sort to head out and then just get ready and go again.

"Relief just (at bronze) and then just seeing my family, seeing my friends in the crowd...a really good moment just to sort of take it in.

"My club mates from where I'm currently training, Cambridge Judo Club, they've come up in numbers, my hometown club Konarakai has all travelled in numbers and there's loads of my family here too, so it's a really good day.

"Anybody who can take a bit of inspiration from it will hopefully take it on.”

Adam Hall, also representing Team NI in judo, lost his round-of-16 bout against Fiji over the men’s +100kg division.