It was a crowded house at Coventry Arena to watch the judo last Wednesday night, and Stroud judoka Harry Lovell-Hewitt was dreaming it wasn’t over after clinching bronze in the men’s -100kg category.

Lovell-Hewitt, from Stroud Judo Club, was roared on by a raucous crowd in Coventry as he beat Australian Kayhan Ozcicek-Takagi with an ippon just 20 seconds from time.

And the fighter believes it is the best audience he has ever competed in front of.

“It felt amazing walking out to the crowd with that noise, I've never really done an event with that sort of noise and a home crowd, not to this extent,” said Lovell-Hewitt, who raised his arms aloft to the crowd in celebration.

“Other British ones, it's not quite the same, but an international one with everyone cheering for the home nation, it’s amazing.”

Lovell-Hewitt claimed bronze on a thrilling evening for England’s judokas, as Emma Reid and Jamal Petgrave won gold and Rhys Thompson also clinched a bronze.

Three times a national champion, Harry now has his mind firmly set on qualification for the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024.