Being selected to represent your country at the Commonwealth Games for the first time is a remarkable achievement, but to have your sister selected on the same squad makes it extra special.
Rachel Hawkes will represent Team NI on the judo mat in Birmingham this summer, the 27-year-old from Omagh will fight in the 70kg category while elder sister Sarah competes in the +78kg division.
“I’m absolutely delighted, it is a real privilege to compete in my first multi-sport games for Northern Ireland. It is a brilliant opportunity and I am absolutely honoured,” Rachel beamed.
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“To have Sarah going is something special. I don’t think there are many people that get a chance to go to their first multi-sports games with their sibling, so it will be nice to have that extra support there. Knowing that we started judo together and going to our first multi sports event together.
“It is really special, it’s a bit of extra encouragement and we can support each other through it.”
Rachel took up the sport at an early age in her home town.
“I started judo in Omagh when I was about six and at that age it was just great fun, I really loved the sport. You were there with your friends and there was plenty of energy," she added.
“As you get older you realise it is a really challenging sport if you get stuck into it. You’ll never get bored with judo as there is always something to learn, it is so dynamic and such a broad spectrum that you can really start making it your own and having your own style and working on new things.
“It is hard work but that is what you want. You want the challenge, you want something that has a load of skill to it and perfecting your technique it’s really good."
Rachel had tried different activities before settling on the combat sport.
“I was always a sporty child," she said.
"I tried rugby and athletics at school. I did loads of types of dancing, I played a lot of different sports at school and outside school butt it has always been judo.
“Judo has been there the entire time and that is the one that I fell in love with.
“Competing was never really a conscious thought. When you get stuck into it your never thinking, 'oh, I want to go to the Commonwealth Games'.
"You just keep aiming higher and higher, and as you climb up the ladder those opportunities become apparent.
“When you start thinking those things are important you go, "right, I’m going to give this all I have got to make it to the Commonwealth Games'.
“You then start thinking I’m going to get myself in the best position to do the best performance that I can on the day and hopefully come back with a medal.”
Judo has always been a sport for everyone, and Rachel has had some good role models to look up to in former Commonwealth games medallists.
“For us we had had Lisa Bradley and Lisa Kearney, both brilliant examples of how you can achieve Commonwealth Games and more," she explained.
"So they are an inspiration, the programme we have in Northern Ireland has nurtured that talent particularity with those two women.
“It shows what women can really achieve in judo and particularity women form Northern Ireland, so it really inspires and gives you great confidence when you have a coach that has brought talent like that through with a really solid plan and you feel confident that you can be the best you on the day.”
The judo squad will prepare for Birmingham with a training camp in Mongolia.
“That is a really exciting opportunity, and I was so excited when I was told we were going to Mongolia for two weeks," she said.
“They are one of the best judo nations in the world with really tough fighters, so it will be a completely different way of training but that is what you want.
“You want to take as much training out of all the different countries that you can, training with different people it will just make you a better judo player.
“We have been presented with the opportunity to fight in different countries and train in different countries is just going to put us in a really good position and be top level judo players.”
Hawkes is no stranger to podium finishes at major tournaments and has set her goals high for the summer.
“I recently got a gold and silver in the Continental Open out in Africa, so it was a good confidence boost and good performances," she said.
“I definitely climbing up the ladder in terms of medals and performances so I’m hoping I can keep that going and it would be even better if I can do it at the Commonwealths.
“Any competitive athlete is aiming for gold, I think everyone that is going is looking for that gold medal and on the day anybody could take it, judo is a crazy sport that’s why we love it.
“All the team has hit the markers to show what they are capable of getting a top eight finish but the team we have got is really strong and I think we are capable of more than that.”
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