17-Strong GB Judo Squad Set for Grand Prix Upper Austria
March 05, 2026
The IJF World Tour returns this weekend as the Grand Prix Upper Austria gets underway in Linz, with 17 British judoka set to compete from 6–8 March 2026.
Charlie Ayre (Tees Valley JC) will contest the -60kg category in just his second career Grand Prix appearance.
Ayre has made a strong start to 2026, claiming silver at the Sofia European Open in his first outing of the year. That result continues the momentum built during an impressive 2025 campaign, which saw him secure gold at the Birmingham Junior European Cup, silver at the Sofia European Open, bronze at the Conegliano European Open and a fifth-place finish at the Junior European Championships. He also made his Grand Prix debut in Lima. As he continues to step up to higher-level events and face the very best in the division, that experience and mat time will be invaluable to his ongoing development. He will have to wait to discover his first opponent in the Round of 32.
In the -66kg category, Charlie Young (Ryecroft JC) and Michael Fryer (Rush Judo) represent Great Britain.
Young competes in just his second event of 2026, following an encouraging performance at the Paris Grand Slam last month. He progressed to the Round of 16 with two impressive victories, including a win over a former European Champion, World bronze medallist and 2025 Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist. That display marked a positive start to the year for Young, who is now entering his fifth consecutive IJF World Tour event. During that run, he secured fifth place at the Guadalajara Grand Prix and seventh at the Zagreb Grand Prix, and will be aiming to build further momentum in Linz. He will begin his day in the Round of 64 against Petros Christodoulides (CYP).
Fryer arrives in Austria off the back of an outstanding seventh-place finish at the Paris Grand Slam. En route, he recorded victories over an Olympic medallist, a European Champion and multiple-time Grand Slam medallists — a superb showing at one of the biggest events on the World Tour calendar. He will be looking to replicate that form this weekend. He will have to wait to discover his first opponent in the Round of 32.
Irakli Goginashvili (Palavani JC) and Ethan Nairne (Bradley Stoke JC) form an exciting British duo at -73kg, both continuing to establish themselves at this level.
Goginashvili enjoyed a stellar 2025, becoming Junior European Champion and Junior World Championships bronze medallist, while collecting five medals on the European Cup circuit. He also impressed on his senior Grand Prix debut, finishing fifth to close out the year. Making his Grand Slam debut in Paris last month, the 19-year-old defeated a former World Championships bronze medallist and multiple-time Grand Slam medallist — further evidence that he can challenge the very best in the world. He will begin his day against Zelemkhan Batchaev (BEL) in the Round of 64.
Nairne has already stood on the podium in 2026, taking silver at the Sofia European Open. With four Grand Slam and two Grand Prix appearances to his name, he continues to gain valuable World Tour experience and will be targeting a first top-seven finish at this level as he pushes towards podium contention. Aron Szabo (HUN) will be his first opponent in the Round of 64.
At -81kg, Lachlan Moorhead (Penistone JC & Cannock JC) and Rory Tyrrell (Camberley JC) will take to the tatami.
Moorhead is steadily rebuilding his form on the World Tour, progressing one round further in each of his last three IJF events — a clear sign that he is returning to his best following a long-term injury sustained in 2024. After reaching the Round of 16 in Paris, he will be aiming to go one step further in Linz. He will begin his day in the Round of 64 against Bright Maddaloni Nosa (ITA).
Tyrrell makes his IJF World Tour debut this weekend — a significant milestone in any senior judoka’s career. The Camberley athlete steps up following a promising 2025 season on the European circuit, which included a fifth-place finish at the Prague European Open and seventh-place results at both the La Nucia European Open and the Riga Senior European Cup. He will face Samuel Ayala (MEX) in the Round of 64.
Jamal Petgrave (Westcroft JC) returns to top-level action at -90kg.
Competing for the first time in 2026, Petgrave last featured at the Zagreb Grand Prix in November. With extensive IJF World Tour experience, he will be determined to begin his year with a strong statement performance. Tato Grigalashvili (GEO) will be his first opponent in the Round of 32.
Ollie Barratt (Dragons Academy) will represent Great Britain at -100kg.
Barratt faced a difficult draw at the Paris Grand Slam, meeting the eventual gold medallist in his second contest. Despite the challenge, he delivered a strong performance and will look to build on that showing. His 2025 season was impressive, highlighted by gold at the Gold Coast Oceania Open, bronze at the Warsaw European Open, fifth place at the Dushanbe Grand Slam and seventh at the Tallinn European Open. He awaits confirmation of his first opponent in the Round of 32.
Wesley Greenidge (Enfield JC) will take on the +100kg field.
Greenidge returns to Grand Prix action for the first time since September 2024. Last season saw him secure bronze medals at the Podgorica and Dubrovnik Senior European Cups, as well as the Conegliano European Open, alongside a fifth-place finish in Sarajevo and seventh in La Nucia. He will be aiming to translate that European success onto the World Tour stage. He will face Dzhamal Gamzatkhanov (AZE) in the Round of 32.
In the -52kg category, Tatum Keen (Bradley Stoke JC) and Caitlin Barber (Middlesbrough JC) compete for Great Britain.
Keen enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, opening with silver at the Warsaw European Open and closing with another silver at the Prague European Open. She also achieved a career-best IJF World Tour result with seventh place at the Dushanbe Grand Slam. Having stepped up to contest her first senior European and World Championships last year, Keen continues to develop against the sport’s elite and will look to build again this weekend. Gabriela Dimitrova (BUL) will be her first opponent in the Round of 32.
Barber makes her Grand Prix debut in Linz — an exciting opportunity to test herself against world-class opposition. After a long-term injury sustained in 2024 interrupted an excellent run of European form, she returned to competition in September 2025 with seventh place at the Skopje Senior European Cup. Further appearances at the Conegliano and Ljubljana European Opens have provided valuable mat time as she continues her return. She will face Nicole Stakhov (GER) in the Round of 32.
Acelya Toprak (Camberley JC) is Great Britain’s sole representative at -57kg.
This marks her second appearance of 2026 as she looks to carry forward the strong World Tour form she showed in 2025. That year included bronze at the Guadalajara Grand Prix, fifth-place finishes at both the Lima and Zagreb Grand Prix events, and seventh at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam — a highly successful season following her return to represent Great Britain. Nika Tomc (SLO) will be her first opponent in the Round of 32.
An experienced pairing of Jemima Yeats-Brown (Stewart JA) and Kelly Petersen-Pollard (Hardy Spicer 83) will contest the -70kg division.
Yeats-Brown, a Paris 2024 Olympian and one of Great Britain’s most experienced judoka, returned from injury in 2025 in impressive fashion. She claimed gold at the Tallinn European Open and bronze at the Prague European Open before returning to Grand Prix and Grand Slam competition. A challenging draw at the Paris Grand Slam saw her face the eventual gold medallist and world number three in the Round of 16, but she will look to progress further in Linz. She will face Magdalena Krssakova (AUT) in her opening bout in the Round of 32.
Petersen-Pollard is a former bronze medallist at this event, having reached the podium in 2023. In 2025 she secured silver at the Dushanbe Grand Slam and seventh-place finishes at the Tbilisi Grand Slam and Qingdao Grand Prix. She will be aiming to continue that level of performance in just her second outing of 2026. She will face Maya Goshen (ISR) in the Round of 32.
Emma Reid (Redbridge JC) and Shelley Ludford (JC Osaka) complete the British line-up at -78kg.
Reid, currently ranked fifth in the world, claimed silver at this event in 2025 on her return following the Paris Olympic Games. She went on to enjoy an outstanding year, winning gold at the Dushanbe Grand Slam and La Nucia European Open, taking bronze at the Qingdao Grand Prix and narrowly missing the podium with fifth place at the European Championships. She is yet to discover her opponent in the Round of 16.
Ludford arrives in Linz on the back of gold at the Ljubljana European Open just weeks ago, an excellent start to her 2026 campaign. Although 2025 was a quieter year internationally with just four competitions entered, she still secured bronze at the Prague European Open and seventh at the Warsaw European Open, and will be looking to maintain her momentum this weekend. She will face Milica Zabic (SRB) in her opening contest in the Round of 32.
Additionally, Lisa Rivers has been selected to referee at the event. It’s great to see one of our own officiating on the IJF World Tour!
Good luck to the entire British squad competing in Linz!
