ANDOVER'S Kate Howey enjoyed a bitter-sweet experience in the British Open held at Crystal Palace.

She won a silver medal in her event, but was so close to striking gold instead.

Over 500 competitors fought it out in Britain's premier judo event with Howey being joined by Hampshire's three other senior internationals.

Phil Harris, from Portsmouth, the 1999 World Champion and twice Olympic medallist, was in action as was Basingstoke's Caroline Pont, the daughter of Hampshire's senior squad coach John Pont.

Gosport's Natalie Priestley also competed, as did Lee Spencer from Havant's Meridian Judo Club.

Priestley, now training full time at the Budokwai in London, was thrown for ippon by Bartelemy.

Harris was looking to improve on last year's first round defeat in the men's -60kg.

But he was drawn against and quickly thrown by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Gary Cole.

Craig Fallon, the 2002 British Open and Commonwealth Games Champion, and recent winner of the Paris Super A tournament, won this weight.

Pont, competing in the women's +78kg, also struggled to make an impression against American Nanoushka St. Pre, the 2002 silver medallist.

Spencer had a narrow victory in the first round of the men's +100kg category, winning on a penalty in golden score after both players had been penalised three times in the first five minuts of the contest.

In the next round he was thrown for ippon by Morgan (RAF Judo Association) and in the repechage was pinned by Joe Delahay.

Howey started off with a comprehensive victory over a Canadian opponent, scoring a koka, two yukos and a waza-ari before throwing for ippon.

An American opponent was cast aside in seconds, and an easy victory over a young British girl put her into the final, against Marie-Hele Chisholm of Canada.

Howey looked set to have secured the gold, being a couple of scores up when, with only 30 seconds left, she was thrown for a surprise waza-ari.

Shaken out of their heat-induced stupor, a partisan crowd roared Howey on, but in the end she settled for silver for the second year running.

Hampshire provided three of the table officials at this event, Nicky, Paul and Steve Sexton, whilst Andy Tremlett was one of the refereeing team.

l The next junior Hampshire squad session will be held at Cosham Community Centre on Sunday, May 4 when the squad for the Southern Area Inter Counties match against Surrey, Sussex and Kent will be announced.

All Hampshire Closed junior medallists are urged to attend.

Hampshire's young judoka will be looking to defend their title as Area Champions with the boys having won the title in 2001 and 2002, and the girls last year.

There will be several new faces as some members of last year's squad are ineligible due to age or international commitments.

The Inter Counties event takes place at Portsmouth's Mountbatten Centre on Sunday May 18.