GRIMSBY Judo Club star Kirsty Guest is today preparing for the biggest fight of her life.

The 16-year-old Under-70kg player is competing in the European Cadets Championship in the Czech Republican city of Tenice.

The competition is the continent's premier contest for players under the age of 18.

Rising star Guest beat three opponents in March to qualify, despite suffering tendon and ligament damage in her left ankle.

Now she is raring to show her courage on the mat once again.

Guest said: "It's the biggest competition so far in my life.

"To win a medal would mean everything.

"It will be tough. A lot of the girls from other countries are very tall and well built – some of them even look like men or body builders.

"But everyone has a chance of winning, it all comes down to how you perform on the day."

A three-day training camp at Kendal Judo Club, Cumbria, earlier this month saw Scunthorpe-born Guest train alongside some of Europe's top young players.

Guest commented: "We were out running at 7.15 each morning, with two-hour sparring sessions in the afternoons.

"We were basically out there battling each other – it was really intense."

Guest may have an advantage over her rivals, however, thanks to former Olympic judo star and Grimsby Judo Club player Sharon Rendle.

A former student of Guest's New Waltham-based coach Terry Alltoft, Rendle won bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and is a two-time winner of World, European and Commonwealth championships.

And after learning of Guest's qualification for the top European event, Rendle joined forces with Alltoft to devise a fitness regime – similar to the one she used in competition – to help the teenager's preparations.

Guest went on: "I know Sharon through Terry and saw how she used to fight in competitions.

"I really look up to her and she's a big inspiration for me.

"She doesn't practise judo any more because of injury, but she heard I was in the Europeans and came back to help, which was great."

So far, Guest's troublesome ankle injury has withstood the pressure.

"There has been pain now and again," she said.

"My ankle went three weeks' ago but I got it okay for Poland and I've just been babying when I can since then."

Coach Alltoft, who has travelled to Tenice to offer his support, added: "Kirsty has been a special talent for a long time.

"She's tenacious on the mat and as focused as you'd wish a young player could be."