Tinka Easton (judo) claimed gold in a dramatic golden-score victory in the women’s 52kg at her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham. It was Australia’s first gold medal in the sport since the Manchester Games In 2002. After encouragement from her mother and brother to try a sport, the then 10-year-old joined the Bushido Judo Club at Shoalhaven Heads Community Centre on the NSW south coast. She cites her first coach, Bruce Fagan, as giving her a love for the sport. Tinka claimed three consecutive Australian under-21 titles between 2014 and 2016 followed by three consecutive senior titles from 2017 to 2019. After a top-16 finish at the 2018 world championships, she then took a bronze medal at the Sarajevo European Cup in 2019. Easton has appeared at four world championships and is hoping to qualify for her first Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.