BRITISH JUDO ANNOUNCE VISUALLY IMPAIRED SQUAD FOR IBSA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

British Judo has announced an experienced squad for the 2006 IBSA World Championships, which will take place in Brommat, France, from 29 th June - 3rd July.

The squad will travel to France knowing that this is the first of three vital qualifying events for the Beijing Paralympic Games – with the other two being the Visually Impaired European Championships and the Visually Impaired World Championships in 2007

The squad includes Simon Jackson and Ian Rose, who are both experienced Paralympians. Jackson, a five times Paralympian in the –73kg weight category, has won three Paralympic gold medals and one bronze. While Rose is a three times Paralympian and won silver in the -100 kg weight category in Athens.

Rose and Jackson recently competed in the Northglenn Judo Championships in Colorado, where the British Visually Impaired squad competed against more than 250 sighted players from around the US. At the Championships Rose won silver and Jackson gained a bronze medal. As did Maxine Ingram in the –63kg weight category, who in Athens in 2004, made history when she became the first female to compete in a judo event in a Paralympic Games.

Also named in the IBSA World Championship squad are Ben Quilter and Darren Harris, who both picked up medals at the recent Visually Impaired Lithuania Open. Quilter came away with the gold medal in the –60kg weight category, while Harris won bronze in the –66kg weight category.

Commenting on the team Colin McIver, British Judo High Performance Director said, “This is one of the most important competitions for our Visually Impaired squad since Athens.

“We are going to France to win medals and also to get a good start in the qualifying process for the Beijing Paralympic Games. With the experience in the squad we stand a good chance of getting most of the athletes qualified over the three qualification events.”