A Bumper Weekend of Action Awaits GB Judo

British judoka will be in action across three international competitions this weekend, with athletes representing Great Britain in Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Belgium in a packed few days of action across senior, kata, and development-level competition.

The international calendar sees British athletes chasing ranking points, podium finishes and valuable international experience, with some also keeping one eye firmly on Commonwealth Games qualification.

Commonwealth ambitions in Benidorm

The biggest British contingent of the weekend heads to Spain for the Benidorm European Open, where twenty eight British athletes are entered into one of the busiest senior events on the European circuit.

With 40 nations represented, the Benidorm event offers a significant test for Britain’s senior competitors as they continue their development against strong international opposition.

For many of the British athletes making the trip, the competition carries added significance, with performances likely to play an important role in the race for future Commonwealth Games selection. With such a sizeable British squad making the journey, the weekend represents one of the most significant international outings of the spring.

Ross Dempsey will take to the mat for the first time internationally in the -66kg competition after moving up a weight category recently and will compete in the largest category of the weekend with 60 judoka scheduled to take to the mat.

Junior European Champion Irakli Goginashvili headlines the -73kg competition for GB, fresh off a Gold medal in Kaunsa on his last outing on the tatami. He is joined by the likes of Harry Le Mare, Adam Stevens, Ben Moore, and Reuel O’Neal Marshall.

The -81kg category is stacked with British talent as Luke Davies continues his injury comeback alongside brother Peter as they both look to make their mark on the senior competition. They are joined by the ever-improving Rory Tyrrell, who will be looking to replicate the form he showed in Riga on his way to an impressive Bronze medal. They are joined by Eryk Neumann and Logan Campbell in a strong British -81kg contingent.

Lachlan Moorhead will be looking to stamp his authority on the -90kg competition after moving up weight categories this weekend. He will be looking to rediscover the form that has seen him medal in Grand Slam competition previously. Corey O’Neal-Narcis and Jared Sey will line up alongside Moorehead in category.

Daniel Ede will make his third international appearance of 2026 and will be looking to pick up where he left off at the back end of 2025 with some impressive performances in Montreal, Birmingham and Conegliano. Wesley Greenidge managed to medal in Conegliano and will be looking to push on in 2026 and force his way into Commonwealth Games contention, with Josh Whitehouse joining the two.

Ashleigh Barnikel will be looking to put the disappointment of the narrow miss in Mandurah behind her, and look to add to her Tunis African Open Bronze medal won in February this year in the -48kg competition.

The trio of Lola Hodson, Caitlin Barber and Charlotte Jenman look strong in the -52kg category, and all three will have eyes on a deep run in the competition. Hodson has already taken bronze in the junior editions of Kaunas and Poznan, and will be looking to replicate that form in senior competition. Barber and Jenman will be looking for time on the mat after a number of injuries towards the end of 2025.

Maddie Birri will line up alongside Tomi Imrie and Ammi Takahashi in the -57kg competition. All three will be looking to force her way on to the podium for the first time in 2026.

Millie Bayliss is the sole representative for GB in the -63kg competition.

Chloe Nunn competes for the second weekend in a row in the +78kg, fresh off an impressive Gold in Gori last weekend. She will face stiff competition from Sarah Adlington who enjoys competing in Spain, with her last medal coming at the Malaga Senior European Cup last year. They are joined by Abigail Guest who is making her first international appearance of 2026.

Roberts and Chan return to the European kata stage

In Sarajevo, Great Britain’s focus shifts from contest judo to technical excellence, as Karen Roberts and Fiona Chan represent the nation at the European Kata Championships.

The British pair continue their newly-established partnership following their appearance at the World Championships, bringing experience and continuity into one of the most technically demanding events in the sport.

Kata competition showcases the traditional foundations of judo, rewarding precision, control, timing and technical execution rather than direct contest outcomes.

For Roberts and Chan, the championships present another opportunity to test themselves against Europe’s best specialists and continue building on their kata experience.

Strong British representation in Antwerp

Belgium provides the third stop on a busy British weekend, with a large number of athletes entered under the GB banner at the Ippon Trophy Antwerp.

The long-established tournament is a regular fixture for developing judoka seeking competitive international mat time, and British representation once again appears strong across the event.

For many athletes, tournaments such as Antwerp provide invaluable exposure to different styles of judo and international competition environments, helping bridge the gap between domestic success and higher-level international performance.

Good luck to all 121 British athletes taking to the mat in Antwerp:

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