Bryant needs world gold to complete set but London 2012 is still priority

By Howard Lloyd, Sportsbeat

KARINA Bryant has tasted every World Championship medal bar gold - but the judoka insists completing her collection won't top her priorities in Japan next month.

PRIORITIES: Karina Bryant needs a world gold medal to complete her set but London 2012 remains the top of her priorities (Getty Images)

Bryant has taken to the podium a further five times - winning four bronze and a sliver - since opening her account with a bronze in Birmingham 11 years ago.

The 31-year-old will have a chance to claim the missing piece of the jigsaw when she travels to Tokyo to lock horns with the best in the world early next month.

But with the London Olympics looming large - and a back injury restricting her preparations - Bryant is looking at the bigger picture.

"I'm keen to try and improve as a judo player and not just stagnate and stay where I am in terms of my technique and ability," said Bryant.

"I'm obviously keen to try and get a good result, especially with the Olympics on the horizon, but I'm looking a nig further ahead this time round.

"I've got a slightly different focus this year because I'll be trying to implement some of the new stuff I've been working on with new people.

"That means moving a bit more, using my feet a bit more, a few specific techniques, so if I can get some of that to work, then that would be great because I would know I'm improving and heading in the right direction.

"The back injury has affected my mat-time because I was out for five or six weeks when I wasn't doing that much training but just waiting for scans, having a few injections and just leaving it to settle

"I'm trying to strengthen it as well so eventually it should be completely back to normal and fine for the World Championships."