Birmingham Junior European Cup 2025 – British Ones to Watch
The 2025 Birmingham Junior European Cup is set to take place this weekend, welcoming some of the most promising junior judokas from across Europe and beyond. Here’s your guide to the weekend’s action, including how to watch, key timings, and the British athletes to keep an eye on.
When and Where?
The event will take place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July, hosted at the University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus.
How to Watch
You can tune into the action via JudoTV. Full live coverage of the competition will be streamed throughout the weekend:
Day 1: 10:00 (Estimated Start Time of the First Contest)
Day 2: 10:00 (Estimated Start Time of the First Contest)
Draw
The draw will take place at 19:30 today and will be available to watch live on JudoTV.
Ones to Watch
U60kg
Charlie Ayre – Ayre placed 7th at the Poznań Junior European Cup earlier this year. In 2024, he claimed bronze in Kaunas and finished 7th at both the Prague Junior European Cup and the Junior European Championships. With that level of experience, he’ll be aiming to deliver a strong performance in Birmingham.
Laurence Hill – Hill secured a 7th-place finish at the Tunis Junior African Open earlier this year. As GB’s second-highest ranked athlete entered in this category, he’ll be heading into the event with high hopes of a strong performance on home soil.
-66kg
Joshua Chrisp – GB’s only ranked athlete entered in this category, Chrisp has competed at several Junior European Cup events this year but is yet to secure a top-7 finish. He’ll be hoping that competing on home soil gives him the boost needed to make a breakthrough this weekend.
-73kg
Ben Levy – Levy has had an incredible year since joining British Judo’s World Class Performance Programme. He’s secured gold medals at the Warsaw European Open, Kaunas Junior European Cup, and Berlin Junior European Cup, alongside a 5th place finish in Poznań and 7th in Graz. Levy also made his senior European Championships debut this year, gaining invaluable experience at a young age. After taking bronze at this event last year, he’s one of the most exciting judoka to watch this weekend.
Irakli Goginashvili – Another standout in this category, Goginashvili has claimed gold at the Prague and Poznań Junior European Cups, bronze medals in Podgorica and Malaga, and silver at last year’s Birmingham Junior European Cup. He’ll be pushing hard to add to his impressive medal haul this time around.
-81kg
Eryk Neumann – A promising athlete within British Judo’s World Class Performance Programme, Neumann has secured one medal so far this year at the Kaunas Junior European Cup. He’ll be aiming to push himself onto the podium on home soil this weekend.
Isaac Hope – Hope recorded two 7th-place finishes in 2024 at the Podgorica Junior European Cup and the Montreal Junior Panamerican Cup. He’ll be looking to improve on those results and achieve his first top-7 finish of 2025 in Birmingham.
-90kg
Cameron Hickey – Hickey placed 7th at the Kaunas Junior European Cup a few months ago and matched that result at last year’s Birmingham Junior European Cup. He’ll be aiming to build on those performances this weekend.
Antony Moylett – The other GB representative in this category, Moylett is eager to make his mark and secure his first significant result at a Junior European Cup event.
-100kg
Kevin Gordon – After a strong cadet career, Gordon has transitioned well into the junior ranks, claiming a silver medal at the Kaunas Junior European Cup earlier this year. He’ll be hoping to replicate that success in Birmingham as he continues to build his presence on the international stage.
Jaden Calder – GB’s second-highest-ranked athlete entered in this category, Calder returns to Birmingham looking to make an impact after missing out on a result last year. With valuable experience gained over the past year, he’ll be aiming to break through and put himself on the map this weekend.
+100kg
Daniel Ede – Ede returns to Birmingham looking to improve on his silver medal from last year’s edition. So far in 2025, he has placed 5th at the Portimão Junior European Cup and 7th in Sarajevo, and will be aiming to step back onto the podium, this time at the very top.
James Weller-Henry – Weller-Henry also impressed in Birmingham last year, finishing 5th. He’s continued to build experience in 2025 with a bronze medal at the Casablanca Junior African Cup and will be hoping to break into the medals on home soil this weekend.
-48kg
Eva Ewing – GB’s sole ranked fighter in this category, currently sitting 65th in the world, Ewing claimed a strong silver medal at the Kaunas Junior European Cup earlier this year. After a successful cadet career, she’s beginning to find her footing in the junior ranks and will be aiming to make her mark in Birmingham.
-52kg
Lola Hodson – Since joining British Judo’s World Class Performance Programme in late 2024, Hodson has enjoyed an impressive 2025 season. She’s secured silver in Kaunas, bronze in both Poznań and the Tunis African Open, and topped the podium with gold at the Tunis Junior African Cup. She’ll be one to watch in Birmingham.
Maddy Kissenisky – A consistent presence on the circuit this year, Kissenisky has earned two 5th-place finishes at the Portimão and Kaunas Junior European Cups. She’ll be aiming to convert those close calls into a podium result on home turf.
Amelia Alder – Alder claimed a 7th-place finish at the Malaga Junior European Cup earlier this season and will be looking to build on that experience as she steps onto the mat in Birmingham.
-57kg
Chloe Link – One of GB’s most in-form judoka, Link is a standout member of British Judo’s World Class Performance Programme. She’s medalled at her last four Junior European Cup events, taking silver in Prague and bronze in Berlin, Kaunas, and Poznań. With momentum firmly on her side, she’ll be aiming to make it five in a row this weekend.
Madeleine Birri – A long-time rival of Link and a consistent performer, Birri is another strong British contender in this category. She finished 5th in Kaunas and 7th in both Istanbul and Poznań. Competing on home soil could give her the extra edge needed to reach the Junior European Cup podium for the first time this year.
-63kg
Millie Bayliss – Ranked 39th in the world, Bayliss returns to Birmingham aiming to improve on last year’s result. Since then, she’s picked up a bronze medal at the Tunis African Open and a 7th-place finish at the Malaga Junior European Cup, showing strong progression in 2025.
Sophie Wood – Currently ranked 57th in the world, Wood has shown great promise this season with a silver medal at the Malaga Junior European Cup and a recent 7th-place finish in Berlin. She’ll be looking to maintain that momentum on home soil.
Olivia Delahunty – Sitting 78th in the world rankings, Delahunty has proven consistent across the European circuit this year, securing three 7th-place finishes in Sarajevo, Poznań, and Kaunas. A breakthrough performance in Birmingham could see her climb the standings.
-70kg
Esmee Holgate – Holgate has only made one Junior European Cup appearance so far this year, but she’ll be looking to make the most of her opportunity in Birmingham. With the support of a home crowd, it could be the perfect stage for a breakout performance.
Paige Keane – Keane has steadily been building experience throughout the 2025 season with several Junior European Cup appearances. Competing in front of a home crowd, she’ll be hoping this weekend is her moment to break through and earn a well-deserved result.
-78kg
Nicole Wood – A new addition to British Judo’s World Class Performance Programme, Wood has enjoyed a standout 2025 season on the junior circuit, picking up silver in Kaunas and Malaga, bronze in Istanbul, and a 5th-place finish in Poznań. After narrowly missing the podium in Birmingham last year, she’ll be looking to convert her impressive form into a medal this time around.
+78kg
Abigail Guest – After a 5th-place finish at last year’s Birmingham Junior European Cup, Guest will be aiming to reach the podium this time around in front of a home crowd.
Good luck to everyone competing this weekend!
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