I won silver at London 2012 Olympics and went viral for what I did after… now I’m making my own way as a PE teacher

GEMMA GIBBONS has swapped the judo mat for the classroom since retiring from the sport.

The 37-year-old former judoka is an Olympic and Commonwealth silver medalist.

Reuters

Gemma Gibbons won silver for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics[/caption]

Paul Edwards - The Sun

The former judoka is now a PE teacher[/caption]

She even went viral after winning Team GB’s first Olympic judo medal for 12 years at London 2012.

Over a decade on, Gibbons is now following a different career path as a PE teacher.

Her career change comes after she completed a PE teaching degree, having also studied sports performance at the University of Bath alongside her judo career.

After putting her studies on hold in a bid to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, Gibbons returned to become a qualified teacher and is now in the role after retiring from judo.

Gibbons made history for Team GB 12 years ago after winning silver in the -78kg category.

Her reaction to beating world champion Audrey Tcheumeo in the semi-final went viral on social media at the time.

Eight years after losing her mum, Jeanette, to leukaemia, an emotional Gibbons slumped to her knees after guaranteeing herself an Olympic medal.

She then stood up and looked to the sky, mouthing the words “I love you, mum”.

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The moment became an iconic image from the London games.

Gibbons had been encouraged to take up the sport at her local judo club by her mum at just six-years-old.

Although Gibbons would go on to lose to two-time gold medallist Kayla Harrison in the final, her heroics had come outside her usual weight class.

She had been forced to move up after missing out on a place in the -70kg category due to a first-round exit at the European Championships earlier in 2012.

Having not won a medal since Sydney 2000, Gibbons’ silver was one of two for Team GB in judo on home soil 12 years ago.

Karina Bryant went on to win bronze in the women’s +78kg competition.

Meanwhile, Sally Conway claimed another bronze four years later in Rio in the 70kg event.

Reuters

Gibbons won Team GB’s first Olympic judo medal in 12 years[/caption]