Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown, born on July 5, 1995, Pembury in Kent, England, competes in the -70kg weight category in Judo.
Nicknamed “The Honey Badger,” Yeats-Brown has an impressive resume, including a 5th place finish at the World Championships in both 2018 and 2023.
She secured a bronze medal at the 2014 World Junior Championships and won the European title as a Cadet in 2011. Additionally, she earned a silver medal at the European Open in Sarajevo in 2021, and a gold medal at the European Open in Cluj Napoca in 2022.
Yeats-Brown also clinched a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Oceania Open in Perth, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam. In 2024, she added a bronze medal at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam to her accolades.
Now, she has qualified for her first Olympic Games in Paris 2024 to represent Team GB.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your journey into Judo? What inspired you to start practicing this sport?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: I was originally quite a high-level gymnast; however, I was told I wasn’t elegant enough for the sport. So, I swapped the leotard for a black belt and never looked back!
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Q: Who were your early influences in Judo, and how did they shape your approach to the sport?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: My earliest influence was probably my mum. She was a 2nd Dan black belt and on the British team. As a family, we are super competitive, so this probably passed down to me through my mum.
Q: What does a typical training day look like for you?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: A normal training day starts at 8:45 with my individual prehab and warm-up routine. At 9:30 we do team prehab. At 10 am we have a randori session. At 3 pm we do strength or conditioning work. We fit in individual technical work or video analysis around these times as well. A lot of times after training, I also go swimming and in the sauna to relax and help me recover.
Q: What is your favourite Judo technique, and why?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: My favourite technique is ura nage because it’s to go big or go home.
Q: How do you adapt your strategy when facing opponents with different fighting styles?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: I’m not the best technically or tactically, so I let my coach do the thinking and just do what he says… most of the time!
Q: You are a two-time bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games. How did it feel to win bronze on home soil in 2022?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: It was amazing to win a medal on home soil in front of so many friends, family, and supporters. It was my second Commonwealth medal after bronze in 2014 in Glasgow; however, I was selected last minute for Glasgow the day before the competition started after an injury in the team, so there was no time for my family to travel or have tickets. This made Birmingham even more special for my family to be there.
Q: You won bronze at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2024. Can you tell us about that day and your fights?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: The Kazakhstan grand slam took me to a new level of digging deep. I had sprained my ankle pretty badly the week before in Tajikistan and could barely walk; my ankle was black and blue and so swollen. I was in tears all week to my mum on the phone over whether I should fight or pull out and come home.
I skipped the warm-up and just said to myself in the tunnel, ‘How bad do you want this? Because if you want this bad enough you will make it happen.’ I just took each fight one exchange at a time and added more and more layers of tape to my ankle as each round went on. I managed to win the bronze with a quick foot sweep and was so relieved to take home a medal and gain more qualification points.
Q: How many Olympic cycles have you tried to qualify for, and how does it feel to finally qualify?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: In 2012, I was on the Ambition Programme for up-and-coming athletes, which gave me a look into how the Olympics works. In 2016, I was a training partner for Sally Conway, so I travelled to Rio to help prepare the team and was in my first year of senior Judo. In 2020, I felt this was my cycle to really go for it and be in contention for selection, and after a 5th place at the World Championships, I was in a good spot; however, injury put a stop to it. It feels absolutely amazing to finally be selected after so many tough days and moments.
Q: Can you tell us about the role your coaches and support team have played in your success?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: My coaches have been vital to my success. Jamie Johnson, our head women’s coach, is amazing at getting the best out of every athlete and knowing how to work with each of us, as we are all individuals and need different things. I love walking out in a final block with Jamie by my side, knowing all the hard work we both put in, and then running off the mat after a win to celebrate with him. He puts so much into us and always makes training different and fun. The sports science and medical team are also hugely important to me and have put me back together more times than I can remember!
Q: How has your family supported you throughout your Judo journey?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: My family has been there every step of the way—through the good, the bad, and the ugly. From the early airport drop-offs to missing out on family occasions and taking me to training when I was younger, they are always there supporting, cheering, wiping my tears, running to the shop to get more ice, and everything in between.
Q: Can you share your most memorable competition experience and what made it special?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: My most memorable competition experience would probably be winning the grand slam bronze in Abu Dhabi in October 2022. I had lost my sister to brain cancer a few weeks before this tournament and was stuck in such a rut with my Judo. The whole of 2022 up until this point I was losing to anyone and everyone, and I lost the spark I felt when I was on the mat and was so mentally exhausted. I had decided in my head that if this event didn’t go well, I would probably need to take a break from Judo for a while. I won the bronze medal and had 5 tough matches, and I truly believe it was my sister up in the sky telling me, ‘You’re not done yet!’.
Q: You’ve experienced many injuries but persevered. Can you tell us more about this mental resilience and how you managed to keep going?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: Yes, I have had many, many injuries! I think my family and support network were crucial in helping me through each injury. I also use imagery a lot through the help of a sports psychologist, so even though I was injured, I am always fighting opponents in my head (I always win in my head, haha), and I think that helps to keep the feel of Judo in my head. I have had so many challenges and setbacks that when it gets tough, I know how to dig deep, and I refuse to quit.
Q: Can you share a specific instance where you faced significant adversity and how you overcame it?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: In September 2021, my sister Jenny experienced a few headaches, and after a few trips back and forth to the doctor, she was sent for an MRI scan. Walking into the appointment with her, where she was told at age 28 that she had a year to live, is a feeling and a moment I will never get over. I told her that I would stop everything to be with her for a year and make as many memories as possible, but she was adamant I needed to carry on with Judo and chase my dreams. It was a battle every day to get myself to training and step on the mat when I knew what was going on at home; training and competing seemed so insignificant. She sadly died exactly one year later. I don’t think I overcame it; I just got through it one step at a time, one day at a time.
Q: How has your perspective on Judo and competition evolved over the years?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: I used to get so down and sad about losing, and it would take weeks and weeks to move on. Now, because of what happened to my sister, I just think life is too short. Of course, I still care about winning and losing, but at the end of the day, it’s only Judo. If the worst thing that happens to me is I lose a Judo fight, I’m doing pretty well. I also appreciate things so much more, and even little things like a train being delayed a few minutes or someone pushing in a queue doesn’t bother me. My motto in Judo now is: life is short, throw big. So I go for it every exchange and just have fun.
Q: Do you have any pre-match rituals?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: Yes, I am the crazy girl who smacks herself all over, then runs on the mat!
Q: How do you unwind and relax when you’re not training or competing?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: I like dog walks, photography, making YouTube videos, and I do a little bit of coaching at Stewart Judo Academy.
Q: How do you see the future of Judo evolving, both in terms of the sport itself and its global reach?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: Judo is the toughest sport in the world. You can’t ever underestimate any opponent, and I think it will continue to grow even more. The beauty of Judo is you can be yourself and be good enough; you don’t have to be really strong, really tall, or fight a certain way to succeed. You can just find a way that suits you.
Q: Are you planning to try for the 2028 Olympic cycle? If so, what will your preparation look like?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: I am fully focused on Paris 2024, and then I am going on holiday to Gran Canaria for two weeks. After my holiday, I will assess where my mind and body are at.
Q: What are you planning to do after your Judo career? Do you have any specific goals or projects in mind?
Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown: I currently work part-time for British Judo on the media and communications team. After Judo, I would love to make this a full-time role.
Athlete Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown, -70kg Half-Heavyweight Judoka representing Great Britain.
Instagram: @jyb_95
Facebook: @jemimajudo
Interviewed by Anastasia-Alexandra Nenova
Instagram: @madeinbulgariaxx
Facebook: @madeinbulgariaxx
