British Judo Set for Double Challenge in Tallinn and Prague

Away from the action in Walsall this weekend, British Judo athletes are set to take to the international stage once again with senior and junior squads heading to separate European cities to compete against some of the continent’s finest talent.

Senior Squad in Action – Tallinn European Open

Our senior athletes travel to Estonia for the Tallinn European Open, with a strong and experienced lineup representing Great Britain.

In the men’s divisions, the -66kg category sees a packed field with Charlie Young, Sam Hall, Lewis Fryer, Finlay Allan, and Joshua Bell all aiming to make their mark.

Bell will be returning to the mat fresh off his silver medal at the Pretoria African Open last week. Allan will be looking to build up some early momentum in 2025 which saw him pick up medals in Riga and Dubrovnik. Sam Hall returns after injury for his first international of the year. Charlie Young will be looking to rediscover the form which saw him narrowly miss out on top spot at the Podgorica European Cup in March.

Ethan Nairne, Oliver Short, and Owen Lambert will fly the flag in the -73kg class, while Rory Tyrrell enters at -81kg. All four guys will be looking for their first medals of 2025.

Heavyweight hopes rest with Ollie Barratt and Max Gregory in the -100kg division. Barratt is having a breakthrough year as he narrowly missed out on a maiden Grand Slam medal in May in Dushanbe, with Gregory pushing Barratt every step of the way with three placings this year.

The women’s squad includes exciting talent and seasoned performers. Summer Shaw will look to impress at -48kg as she makes her first appearance on the mat since May and will keen to break the world’s top 100 with a positive result this weekend.

The strong trio of Acelya Toprak, Lanina Solley, and Stephanie Walker contest the -57kg category. Toprak made her return to the GB setup last month at the World Championships, and will be looking to make the -57kg category her own. Solley has a Gold medal to her name this year after topping the podium in Riga in March. Jemima Yeats-Brown returns to international action in the -70kg class, bringing experience and strength to the team following a further spell out through injury.

Junior Squad Heads to Prague for European Cup

Meanwhile, our junior squad is preparing for a tough test at the Junior European Cup in Prague, a key competition on the pathway to future elite success.

In the men’s draw, Irakli Goginashvili competes at -73kg, with Joseph Kirk representing GB at -90kg.

The junior women’s team sees Maddy Kissenisky and Amelia Alder competing in the -52kg category. The -57kg division features a dynamic duo in Chloe Link and Rhea Pinder, while Olivia Delahunty and Zhaklin Satari round out the team in the -63kg weight class.

Link is one of Britain’s most in-form judoka on the international stage at the moment with three Bronze medals in successive competitions this year, with impressive performances in tough events in Poznan, Kaunas and Berlin.

Follow the Action

With athletes competing across two venues this weekend, there’s plenty to watch and support. Both squads will be aiming for strong performances, valuable ranking points, and international experience as the road to major championships continues.

Stay tuned to British Judo’s social media channels for live updates, results, and behind-the-scenes content throughout the weekend!

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