Jude Freeman has the highest rank that can be achieved in Kettlebell Sport – ‘Master of Sport World Class’ and has been lifting for England since 2017.
This year Jude competed in two World Championships where she won bronze medal in the Double Bell Pentathlon and became a World Champion winning gold in the single bell Half Marathon (30 mins continuous lifting One Arm Long Cycle).
Jude runs small group training and kettlebells and circuits training at her studio every week and on a Sunday morning World Champion Jude can be found running her outdoor bootcamp nearby at Onchan Park on Oakdale Road.
Gedling Eye caught up with Jude who said: “Between 2017 and present day I have competed in the UK and Ireland, and parts of Europe including France, Belgium, Sweden, and most recently in Hungary in Girevoy Sport (single and double bell events) Pentathlon (single and double bell events), Half Marathon (single and double bell events), World Games (double bell) and Full Marathon (single bell for 60 mins).
“Passionate to teach others these skills, I trained to be a Kettlebell Sport Coach and coach athletes to international level. I am the only Kettlebell Sport Coach in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and clients come to me for 121 training from as far away as Milton Keynes.
“I was looking set up a bootcamp locally and was pointed in the direction of the Friends of Onchan Park. These are a group of people committed to saving Onchan Park from being sold for housing and who have been working with the local community.
“One of the things they did was survey the community to see what people want from the park and one of the things that scored highly, was some kind of fitness activity.
“So I attended a committee meeting with the Friends of Onchan Park who were getting ready to submit bids for funding to have the MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) resurfaced, create an accessible entrance and pathway and update some of the children’s play equipment to name a few.
“They wrote Tonic Fitness into the bids as the fitness provider for the local community however things were delayed due to the arrival of Covid resulting in a delay in setting up the bootcamp.
“So in 2021, after the Covid delay I started my Sunday bootcamp class and I’m there every Sunday from 9.30am to 10.30am apart from when I’m away competing for my country.
“Bootcamp is a mix of bodyweight and weighted exercises including dumbbells, kettlebells, ropes, slam balls, skipping ropes and even space hoppers. Its suitable for all ages and all stages in your fitness journey, whether you’re new to exercising or want to add it to your current schedule.”
Judes amazing achievements include becoming Master of Sport World Class, two time World Champion, two time Master of Sport, four time Candidate for Master of Sport and British Record holder for the Half Marathon Two Arm Long Cycle.
Her kettlebell sport journey started in summer 2015 when she met some trainers in Nottingham who were into lifting Pentathlon and in December, 2015 she travelled to Aberdeenshire to compete in an open pentathlon competition, placing 4th in her category.
Jude said: “From that moment I was hooked on being on the platform and competing. The following year at another pentathlon competition, I met lots more people in the kettlebell community and discovered GS or Girevoy Sport lifting. As I became more confident, I entered several Grassroots competitions throughout 2016 and it was at one of these where I was spotted by a member of Team England. She asked me if I had considered attempting to qualify for a spot on the England squad. Flabbergasted and flattered, she also gave me the name and details of her coach.”
Jude competed in her first 10 minute GS competition in Harrogate in 2016 at the British Championships with a 12kg kettlebell and placed 2nd (silver) and after working with her coach for only 6 weeks qualified for a place on Team England at the English Championships in February 2017.
Jude added: “My first World Championships was October 2017 (just before my 47th birthday) in Loutraki, Greece. I became a World Champion at that event with Gold in Veteran Class (over 40) and also a Bronze in Open Class (age 18+).
“This really was a defining moment for me and the real beginning of an international career in kettlebell sport. In December 2017 I competed in the British Championships lifting a 16kg kettlebell for 30 mins – half marathon and achieved the rank of Candidate for Master of Sport.
“I am so proud to have been lifting for England since 2017”.
Further information including contact details for Jude Freeman @ Tonic Fitness can be found online at https://www.tonicfit.co.uk/ or on Tonic Fitness social media HERE .
