England Judo Chair Celebrates Outstanding Commonwealth Games

As Chair of England Judo, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made these Commonwealth Games such a memorable success.

To finish top of the medal table is a remarkable achievement and one that belongs to every single person who played a part in our journey. While our athletes stood on the podium, their success reflects the dedication, hard work and commitment of an entire team behind them.

Firstly, congratulations to all of our athletes. You represented England with courage, determination and humility. You wore the England badge with pride, demonstrated the true values of judo and inspired everyone watching. You should all be immensely proud of what you have achieved.

A sincere thank you goes to our Team Leader, coaches, support staff and team management. The months of planning, preparation, travel and countless hours behind the scenes are rarely seen, but they are the foundation of every performance on the mat. Your professionalism, leadership and unwavering commitment have been exceptional.

I would also like to recognise our referees, technical officials, medical teams, volunteers, event staff and everyone who worked tirelessly to deliver such an outstanding competition. Your contribution is invaluable, and our sport simply would not thrive without your dedication.

A special thank you goes to JudoScotland, the organising committee and all of the volunteers for hosting such a fantastic Commonwealth Games. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel incredibly welcome. The event was delivered with professionalism, warmth and a genuine passion for judo, creating an experience that everyone involved will remember for years to come. Scotland should be immensely proud of what was achieved.

To our families, friends and supporters—thank you. Your encouragement, patience and sacrifices often go unnoticed, but they make all the difference. Whether you travelled to support the team, cheered from the stands or followed every contest from home, you were an important part of this journey. This success belongs to you as well.

One of my favourite memories from these Games will be the incredible atmosphere created by our England supporters. The passion, energy and encouragement from the stands lifted our athletes throughout the competition. Seeing so many people proudly wearing the England colours, celebrating every performance and supporting one another demonstrated exactly what being part of the England Judo family is all about. You helped create an atmosphere that made these Games truly special, and for that, I sincerely thank you.

It was also wonderful to see athletes, coaches, officials and supporters from across the Commonwealth come together in the true spirit of judo. The respect shown on and off the mat, the friendships formed and the sportsmanship displayed throughout the competition reminded us all why our sport is so special. Congratulations to every nation that took part and contributed to such an outstanding Games.

Success at the Commonwealth Games is never achieved by athletes alone. It is built by coaches who give up evenings and weekends, officials who volunteer their time, referees who uphold the values of our sport, families who make countless sacrifices, supporters who never stop believing and volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes. This achievement belongs to every single one of you.

To finish top of the medal table is something the entire England Judo family can celebrate with enormous pride. It reflects years of hard work, commitment, resilience and belief, and it gives us great confidence and excitement for the future of our sport.

The medals will become part of our history, but the memories, friendships and pride created throughout these Commonwealth Games will stay with us for many years to come.

On behalf of England Judo, thank you to everyone who contributed to this incredible achievement. Whether you competed, coached, officiated, volunteered, organised, supported or cheered from the stands, you have all played your part.

You have done England proud.

Garth Illingworth
Chair, England Judo