ANDY Burns was a late starter to judo but he has more than made up for lost time.

The Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner only took up the sport when he was 16 but has now set his sights on the Rio Olympics.

Burns, born in Glagow, counts himself as a Blackburn boy having moved to the town at an early age.

And it was while he was at Our Lady and St John’s High School that he was given a crude introduction to the sport.

“I went to school with a lad called Joe Burns Junior and everyone knew him as Judo Boy,” recalls Burns, who is no relation. “He used to throw me about a bit in school.

“I think he was a little bit surprised when I turned up at the club where he trained where I basically got thrown about by everyone. I think he was even more surprise when I went back for more!”

Burns says the day he walked in to Shadsworth and Beach Judo Club – run by Joe’s dad, Joe Burns Senior – his life changed forever.

For while his judo journey has taken him from Blackburn to Bath and now Edinburgh, East Lancashire is still classed as home – and Joe Burns Senior the biggest influence on his career.

“The main driving force has to be Joe Burns Senior,” added the 28-year-old who also went to St Anthony’s Primary Schools and St Mary’s College.

“He recognised that judo could be a way for me to improve my lifestyle and mentored me though the ranks until I was competing with national level players.

“He was instrumental not only in my development athletically, but in helping me grow as a person.”

Being 16 at the time, there was also a touch of envy and Joe Junior was already a member of the Great Britain team and enjoying his fair share of travelling.

“There was that too!” said Burns. “Joe was on the GB squad and travelling a bit. I wanted to do the same.”

Burns, who spent 10 years in Bath, studying and furthering his judo education is now studying a Masters degree in strength and conditioning at Edinburgh University.

But Blackburn is where his heart is.

“I suppose you could say I am a Blackburn lad because that is where I spent my formative years,” said Burns.

“I love coming back and do so whenever I can. My mum, Barbara, is still there and a lot of my friends.”

Despite coming in to the sport so late, he showed he was something of a natural, winning a national silver medal within a year and gaining his black belt first dan by the time he was 18.

“I was a late starter, so to achieve national silver medal after just over one year, I guess is a huge achievement,” he said.

“That again was down to the people I had around me pushing and supporting otherwise I think it would have been impossible.”

Burns has been pushed and supported ever since – culminating with winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow back in July.

It was the highlight of his career to date but also one tinged with regret.

“I went to Glasgow looking to win the gold medal so to miss out was a bit disappointing,” he said.

“I was in top form and I had recently won the British Open so winning the gold was my number one target.

“But on reflection I am happy to have won a medal and be part of a hugely successful Scottish judo team where 13 out of the 14 players won medals. I think the Scottish judo team was the most successful team of the Commonwealth Games.

“The atmosphere was incredible. To see so many people cheering Scotland on was amazing and it all went crazy after I won my medal.”

With the success came the attention. As well as the post medal interviews and TV appearances, there were the invitations and dinner dates.

“I have been to Glasgow Rangers, Glasgow Warriors and I am going to the Ryder Cup all off the back of my medal in Glasgow,” he said. “The media exposure has been great and if it helps promote the sport then that can only be a good thing.”

But Burns is by no means distracted from the job in hand – and that is qualifying for the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“I am in a really good position to make a run for Rio 2016 qualification which is the big goal now after Glasgow,” said Burns who missed the closing ceremony to fly off and compete in Miami.

“That is now my main focus. The media and invites is a very small part of what we do. We are in judo to test ourselves, to challenge and see how far we can take our talent with the aim to be the best in the world.”

And that is exactly what Burns is working towards now, with competitions coming thick and fast in what he hopes will lead to the road to Rio “I’m preparing for an assault on the World Tour at the end of the month,” said Burns who is also and athlete mentor at Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust “I am fighting Olympic qualifiers back-to-back in Estonia and Portugal, then heading to Mauritius and Australia for two more qualifiers. If I win a medal at any of those events, I will be competing in a Grand Prix in Korea.”

While Burns is ready to fly to far flung corners of the world, he has never forgotten that he is a Shadsworth lad.

“Personally I don’t know where my life would be right now if it wasn’t for judo,” he said. “I certainly wouldn’t have won a Commonwealth Games medal.

“If it wasn’t for being introduced to the sport by both Joe’s and supported like I was, I dread to think how my life could have turned out.”