British VI Team Finish 2025 with Medals at São Paulo Grand Prix
December 18, 2025
The British VI squad capped off 2025 in style at the São Paulo Grand Prix, delivering a series of standout performances and securing medals in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Day 1 saw particularly strong performances from Miles Soloman (Oxford Judo Club) in the J2 -70kg category and Evan Molloy (Devizes Judo Club) in the J2 -81kg division, with both athletes battling through tough draws to reach the podium.
Miles Soloman produced a superb run to the -70kg final, eventually claiming silver. He opened his campaign by defeating his opponent from Chinese Taipei with a razor-sharp shime-waza in the very first exchange, immediately setting the tone for his day.
In the semi-final, Solomon faced a physical and determined opponent from Colombia, digging deep before scoring yuko with a seoi-nage in the final 10 seconds of a hard-fought contest.
The final saw him matched against a high-quality Spanish judoka. Fighting with confidence and composure throughout, Solomon showed excellent control and tactical awareness to secure a well-earned silver medal — another strong international result for the J2 athlete, who has been in outstanding form throughout 2025.
Evan Molloy also impressed in the J2 -81kg category, securing bronze after a demanding series of contests. He began with a patient and mature performance against a Korean opponent, methodically breaking down a tight defensive strategy to take the bout by yuko.
In the semi-final, Molloy was drawn against the current world champion from Kazakhstan. He looked assured and threatening throughout a high-intensity contest but was caught for waza-ari midway through the bout and was unable to force the score back.
Regrouping well, Molloy went on to secure bronze, rounding off a performance that underlined just how close he can compete with the very best in his division.
Day 2 of the competition saw the British VI squad once again deliver strong performances, further underlining GB’s presence in the final block medal contests.
Evie Gormley (Stewart Judo Academy) secured a bronze medal in the J1 -60kg category, competing in a round-robin format. Gormley produced a solid and composed performance throughout the pool to earn her place on the podium.
In the women’s +70kg J2 category, Kirsten Taylor (Tayside Judo Club) fought with determination to claim bronze, adding another medal to the team’s tally after a resilient display.
Meanwhile, Jack Hodgson (Grimsby Judo Club) also secured bronze in the J2 +95kg category. Hodgson finished his contest against a Spanish opponent with a beautifully executed strangle, demonstrating calm decision-making and technical precision under pressure.
An excellent showing across the board from the British VI team to bring the 2025 competition year to a close on a high.
