SAMANTHA Smithson believes in doing her bit for her country. For not only is the 26-year-old a flight lieutenant in the RAF but, today, she takes her place in the English Judo squad's Commonwealth Games village in Kendal.

Sam, as she likes to be known, is a reserve in the under 52 kilo class. Closer to home Sam, from Fern Gore Avenue, Accrington, is keeping it in the family.

Both her parents Phil and Eileen are black belts, giving the young Sam the ideal start to her aspirations of Olympic glory.

GAIL ATKINSON reports...

WHEN Phil Smithson took over the Bredakwai Judo Club, at Hyndburn Sports Centre, as a teenager, little did he know it would lead to marriage, fatherhood and a family obsession with judo.

But when his future wife, Eileen, joined the club the stage was set. Phil was a British Judo Association Veterans Champion in the 1990s and has also represented England in internationals in Sardinia and Malta.

"My dad was a big inspiration to me," said Sam. "He was the coach as I was coming through.

"He competed for the England team while I was really young, then he stepped back from that for a good few years until he was 35 and could compete in the veterans competition."

Eileen, secretary of the club, also competed and has just achieved her black belt first dan after years of training.

She also came home with third place in the World Veterans Championships held in Ireland in June, and is currently refereeing in tournaments and examinations.

"My mum has carried on doing judo," said Sam.

"She was a brown belt for a very, very long time because there weren't many women in the area doing judo. It's very difficult to get a black belt first dan but she persevered."

Sam's earliest memories as a toddler are of sitting on the edge of a judo mat desperate to be working out on it.

"As a toddler, I can clearly remember having to sit on the edge of the mat and was not allowed on it because I was too young," she said.

She started lessons at four and a year later came third in her first contest, also taking home the prize for the best girl of the day. At the age of 10 she started teaching at her dad's club.

The former pupil of Mount Carmel RC School was a fitness instructor at Hyndburn Leisure Centre before joining the RAF in 1999. Based at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, she is currently a trainee fighter controller.

Although Sam is currently on standby for the games, she is nursing a knee injury but is looking beyond the games to internationals later this year that will decide whether she competes in the 2004 Olympics.

"I'm going to do another two years then I'm retiring. The Olympics are make or break for me. If I go I go, if I don't I will call it a day."