THORNBURY Olympian Sally Conway has continued her medal spree this season with an emphatic silver at the European Judo championships.

The 31-year-old Rio 2016 bronze medallist entered the tournament in Tel Aviv ranked sixth, following a great start to the year, with a historic gold at the Paris Grand Slam and bronze in the Antalya Grand Prix.

Conway’s previous best result at the event had been a fifth place in 2016 and the former Marlwood student said she went into the competition in a good place, mentally strong and injury free, and that she was “proud” that after so many attempts, she was finally able to make it onto the rostrum.

After getting a bye into the second round of the -70kg event on Friday, April 27, the British judoka saw off Belgian Gabriella Willems as she held her down for ippon, backing up the win in the quarter-finals against Anka Pogacnik, forcing the Slovenian to tap out.

World number four Barbara Matic, from Croatia, was next up in the semi-finals and the Croatian judoka made Conway work for the win.

Conway took the lead as she held Matic down, but the Croatian escaped and continued to press hard. With just a second left on the clock Conway rolled her opponent for a second waza-ari score to secure the win.

Three-time European champion Kim Polling faced Conway in the final and she made a fast start, throwing Conway in the opening seconds.

Conway responded well though and levelled things up as she caught the Dutch fighter off guard.

The contest was a back and forth affair as both judoka came close to scoring again. The fight was forced into golden score after the deadlock could not be broken, with Polling able to finish one of her throws as she got the vital second waza-ari score.

Conway was joined on the -70kg podium by Wolverhampton judoka Gemma Howell. She was fighting in her first European Judo Championships since moving up a weight and every opponent she fought was higher-ranked than her.

“Overall, I’m really, really chuffed today,” said Conway.

“This European medal is pretty special because it is my first one. God knows how many Europeans I have been to so I am really happy in terms of getting a medal.

“I thought if I could perform how I know I can perform then a medal was definitely possible today.

“I just took it one fight at a time, and focused on the girl in front of me and I think by doing that it got me in the position I am today.”