38 British Judoka Set for 2026 European Veterans Championships in Portimão
October 21, 2026
A 38-strong British team will take to the mat at the European Veterans Judo Championships in Portimão this week, with a number of athletes heading into the competition in strong form.
Colin Francis (Peterlee JC/Royal Navy Judo) returns as the defending champion in the -60kg M3 category after claiming gold in 2025. Having also secured silver medals in 2023 and 2024, he will be aiming for a fourth consecutive European Veterans Championships medal.
Craig Bowater (Samurai JC) will compete in the -66kg M7 category after claiming two silver medals at the Warsaw Veterans European Cup earlier this year, including one in the ne-waza competition.
Clive Biggs (Erdington JC) will also be looking to build on recent international experience after finishing seventh at the Veterans World Championships in Sarajevo last month. He will compete in the -66kg M9 category, while Chris Andrews (Dowty JC) returns to the European Veterans Championships for the first time since winning silver in 2023, entering the -73kg M6 division. Adam Green (Stewart JA) completes the British representation in these weight categories, competing in the -73kg M2 division.
In the -81kg categories, Antony Sayers will be aiming to improve on his fifth-place finish at last year’s championships as he competes in the M5 division and the M4-M6 ne-waza category. He will be joined by Bolotbek Azamat (Ealing JC) and Daniel Cuadrado (High Wycombe JC), who will both compete in M3, with Cuadrado also entering the M1-M3 ne-waza category. Glen Judd (Winchester JC), Nicholas Collins (Havering JC) and John Thacker (Long Eaton JC) will compete in M8, while Sean Hart (Welwyn Garden City) enters M6. Azamat and Hart will both make their European Veterans Championships debuts.
Marcus Broome (Shiro-No-Judo Kent) will also make his debut, competing in the -81kg M4-M6 ne-waza category.
The -90kg categories feature several experienced British competitors, including Shaun Mark Mitty (Westcliff Judo), who heads to Portimão in excellent form after winning gold at the Veterans World Championships in Sarajevo last month. The reigning European champion will be looking to defend his title in the M6 category.
He will be joined in the -90kg divisions by Mark Todd (Patchway JC) and Lee Cahalane (Faversham JC), both competing in M6, James Waithe (Bradley Stoke JC) in M8, and Christopher Horton (Isle of Man Judo) in M3 and Mark Ferguson (Lancaster University JC) in M4. Horton will be returning to competition for the first time in 2026, while Ashley Parrette (Croydon JC) completes the -90kg entries in M7.
In the -100kg categories, Stephen Preece will look to turn recent strong performances into a medal after finishing fifth at last month’s Veterans World Championships. He will compete in M7, having also finished fifth at the 2025 European Veterans Championships.
David McGuire (Genki JC) will compete in -100kg M8, looking to improve on his fourth-place finish at the 2025 championships, while Nigel Thompson (Norwich Premier JC) enters M7 after winning silver at the Warsaw Veterans European Cup earlier this year.
Wayne Morris (Worcester JC), Alexander Castello (Moberly JC) and Liam Hart (Royal Air Force) will all make their European Veterans Championships debuts. Morris will compete in -100kg M6, Castello in M7 and Hart in M1.
Andrew Melbourne (Royal Air Force) will be Britain’s sole representative in the +100kg M3 category. He will be aiming to build on the silver medal he won at the European Veterans Championships in 2025.
The British women’s team also features several athletes with recent international medal success.
Fiona Chan (JC Osaka) heads into the -57kg F5 category after winning bronze at last month’s Veterans World Championships in Sarajevo and will also compete in the F4-F6 Ne-waza division, while Amy Woodruff (Lancaster University JC) will make her European Veterans Championships debut in -57kg F3 following a fifth-place finish at the World Championships last month.
In the -63kg categories, Ria Jones (Neyland JC) returns after claiming bronze at the 2025 European Veterans Championships and will compete in F3, aiming to add another medal to her collection.
Becky Dunning (Hardy Spicer 83) arrives in strong form after winning silver at the Veterans World Championships last month. Having secured silver at the World Championships in both 2025 and 2026, she will be looking to convert that form into a first European Championships medal in the -63kg F2 category.
Samantha Chraniuk (High Wycombe JC) will be aiming to defend her European title in the -63kg F4 category after securing the gold medal in 2025, while Roxane Bakker (Budokwai) makes her debut at the championships in F1.
In the -70kg categories, Kay Andrews (Ringwood JC) will be one to watch as she enters the F8 division as the reigning world champion after winning gold in Sarajevo last month. She also claimed silver at the 2025 European Veterans Championships and will be aiming to reach the top of the podium again in Portimão.
Danielle Batt (Windsor JC) will compete in the -78kg F2 and F1-F3 ne-waza categories, heading into the championships in strong form after winning silver at the Veterans World Championships in Sarajevo last month. She also claimed silver at the 2025 European Veterans Championships and will be aiming to return to the podium in Portugal.
Laura Plumridge (High Wycombe JC) will compete in -70kg F2, looking to build on the silver medal she won at last year’s championships and secure another place on the podium. Nicole Ruduss (Budokwai) will compete in the -70kg F4 category, making her European Veterans Championships debut and returning to competition for the first time this year, and will also fight in the F4-F6 Ne-waza category.
Rounding off the British team, Charlotte Dugmore (Beeches Judokwai) will make her debut at the championships in the +78kg F2 category.
Good luck to all 38 British judoka competing in Portugal this week!
