Loretta Doyle

Doyle started judo at the age of 10, and three years later, she joined the British Judo team.{{cite news| url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/26/sport/judo-life-lessons-loretta-cusack-doyle/index.html| title=Loretta Cusack-Doyle: What judo can teach us about life| work=CNN| date=26 April 2018| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=24 January 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124035920/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/26/sport/judo-life-lessons-loretta-cusack-doyle/index.html| url-status=live}} Doyle competed at the inaugural World Judo Championships for women in New York 1980. She was one of seven judoka at the event, and won a bronze medal.{{cite web| url=https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/first-womens-world-championships-5-catching-up-with-loretta-doyle/?doing_wp_cron=1622624816.4790580272674560546875| title=First Women's World Championships #5 - Catching Up with Loretta Doyle| publisher=British Judo Association| date=20 November 2020| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=3 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603100212/https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/first-womens-world-championships-5-catching-up-with-loretta-doyle/?doing_wp_cron=1622624816.4790580272674560546875| url-status=live}} She came third at the 1980 European Championships, and second at the 1981 and 1982 European Championships. She won the under-52 kg title at the 1982 World Championships.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946972/doyle-1982-world-championship/| title=Judo| work=The Observer| via=Newspapers.com| date=8 January 1984| page=46| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211426/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946972/doyle-1982-world-championship/| url-status=live}} Doyle won the under-52 kg event at the 1983 European Championships in Genoa, Italy.{{cite web| url=https://www.judoinside.com/judoka/4924/Loretta_Doyle/judo-career| title=Loretta Doyle| publisher=Judo Inside| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=8 May 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508151403/https://www.judoinside.com/judoka/4924/Loretta_Doyle/judo-career| url-status=live}} Doyle had to pay her own costs to compete at the 1984 World Championships; she had to borrow the money from her father.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78945770/loretta-doyle-1984/| title=Parkinson must lay down the law on fund-raising| work=The Guardian| via=Newspapers.com| date=8 September 1984| page=15| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211427/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78945770/loretta-doyle-1984/| url-status=live}} In the Championships, Doyle suffered a separated shoulder and had to be taken to hospital.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946168/loretta-doyle-1984-worlds/| title=Doyle is defeated by injury| work=The Guardian| via=Newspapers.com| date=12 November 1984| page=23| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211428/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946168/loretta-doyle-1984-worlds/| url-status=live}}

Doyle came second at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland where judo was a demonstration sport. That year, she lost the British Open Championships final to Sharon Rendle. Rendle was chosen instead of Doyle for the 1986 World Championships.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946467/1986-british-open-results/| title=Briggs throws off injury| work=The Guardian| via=Newspapers.com| date=29 September 1986| page=27| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211429/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946467/1986-british-open-results/| url-status=live}} That year, Doyle also came third at the 1986 European Championships in London. Doyle lost in the first round of the 1989 European Championships.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946836/1989-judo-european-championships/| title=Only Briggs keeps her head- and feet - as Britons take a tumble| work=The Guardian| via=Newspapers.com| date=13 May 1989| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211503/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78946836/1989-judo-european-championships/| url-status=live}}

Doyle won the lightweight event (under-56 kg){{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78945555/1990-commonwealth-games-scotland-judo/| title=Judo| work=The Guardian| via=Newspapers.com| date=13 May 1992| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211502/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78945555/1990-commonwealth-games-scotland-judo/| url-status=live}} at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, beating Australian Suzanne Williams in the final.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78934010/1990-commonwealth-games-lightweight/| title=Angry insect takes the sting out of judo champ| work=The Age| via=Newspapers.com| date=3 February 1990| page=30| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211512/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78934010/1990-commonwealth-games-lightweight/| url-status=live}} It was Scotland's first medal in Judo at the Commonwealth Games.{{cite news| url=http://bordertelegraph.com/news/18798199.rick-kenney-galashiels-judo-stalwart-get-obe-queen/| title=Rick Kenney: Galashiels judo stalwart to get OBE from Queen| work=Border Telegraph| date=15 October 2020| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=22 October 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022205835/https://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/18798199.rick-kenney-galashiels-judo-stalwart-get-obe-queen/| url-status=live}} She came second in the under 52 kg event at the 1991 European Championships, losing to Jessica Gal in the final.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78945417/1991-european-judo-championships/| title=British left with three silvers as Inman's women all go out| work=The Guardian| via=Newspapers.com| date=20 May 1991| page=15| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211512/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78945417/1991-european-judo-championships/| url-status=live}} Doyle won the under-52 kg event at the 1992 European Championships in Paris, France. Doyle was not selected for the 1992 Summer Olympics. In addition to her international success, she won eight British titles at the British Judo Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.judoinside.com/event/search?EventSearch%5Btype%5D=4&EventSearch%5Bname%5D=&EventSearch%5Byear%5D=&EventSearch%5Bcity%5D=&EventSearch%5Bcountry%5D=ENG&yt0=Hajime&q=&q1=&EventSearch%5Btype%5D=&EventSearch%5Bname%5D=british+championship&EventSearch%5Byear%5D=&EventSearch%5Bcity%5D=&EventSearch%5Bcountry%5D=&yt0=Hajime&q=&q1=|title=British Championships - Event results |website=Judo Inside |access-date=21 August 2022}}

After retiring, Doyle worked as a coach for the British Judo Association.{{cite web| url=https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/board-of-directors/loretta-cusack-doyle-8th-dan/| title=Loretta Cusack-Doyle, 8th Dan| publisher=British Judo Association| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=2 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214142/https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/board-of-directors/loretta-cusack-doyle-8th-dan/| url-status=live}} In that role, Doyle coached Sally Conway.{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78934207/sally-conway/| title=No 12: Sally Conway, judo player| work=The Independent| via=Newspapers.com| date=17 December 2006| page=63| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211503/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78934207/sally-conway/| url-status=live}} In 2019, she set up the Loretta Doyle Judo Foundation, to help fund young judo enthusiasts.{{cite web| url=https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/loretta-cusack-doyle-to-launch-the-loretta-doyle-judo-foundation-charity/| title=Loretta Cusack-Doyle to Launch the "Loretta Doyle Judo Foundation" Charity| publisher=British Judo Association| date=21 October 2019| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=26 February 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226064107/https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/loretta-cusack-doyle-to-launch-the-loretta-doyle-judo-foundation-charity/| url-status=live}}

Doyle was married to Billy Cusack, who won a bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in the men's lightweight judo event;{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78932508/cusacks-1990-commonwealth-games/| title=Kenyans protest at 'racist judging'| work=Evening Standard| via=Newspapers.com| date=2 February 1990| page=119| accessdate=4 June 2021| archive-date=4 June 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211516/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78932508/cusacks-1990-commonwealth-games/| url-status=live}} the pair were married before Doyle's appearance at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. The pair have two children, and Doyle found out that she was first pregnant when she went for a medical examination prior to the 1992 Olympic selection. She said she was disappointed not to be selected, but "delighted" that she was pregnant. The pair are now divorced.

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Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Scottish female judoka

Category:British female judoka

Category:British sports coaches

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in judo

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Scotland

Category:Judoka at the 1990 Commonwealth Games

Category:Medallists at the 1990 Commonwealth Games

Category:20th-century Scottish sportswomen