GB Judo Ready for 2025 World Championships Action
June 12, 2025
The 2025 World Judo Championships kick off tomorrow in Hungary, and our six selected British judoka are primed and ready for action!
Hosted at the Papp László Arena in Budapest, the week-long event will see the world’s top athletes battle it out across eight thrilling days of elite competition, each vying for glory in their respective weight categories.
First up for Great Britain at the 2025 World Championships is 23-year-old Tatum Keen (Bradley Stoke JC), competing in the -52kg category. Tatum has steadily impressed with strong showings at European Cups and recent IJF World Tour events. Her selection for Budapest marks a significant milestone, her senior World Championships debut, following previous appearances for GB at the Junior World Championships.
Keen enters the competition in fine form and will take to the tatami on Day 2 of the event, Saturday 14th June. Action begins at 11:30am local time (10:30am BST).
She will open her campaign in the round of 16 against Uzbekistan’s Sugdiyona Rafkatova, following a first-round bye.
Next in action is Acelya Toprak (Camberley JC), the newest addition to our World Championships squad. After an 18-month stint representing Azerbaijan, following seven years competing under the British flag, Toprak has made her return to GB.
She will step onto the mat on Day 3 of the Championships, Sunday 15th June, with the action starting at 11:00am local time (10:00am BST).
Acelya will begin her campaign in the round of 32, where she faces Hong Kong’s Nok Lam Yeung in her opening fight.
Kelly Petersen-Pollard (Hardy Spicer 83) will be the next to represent Great Britain, competing in the fiercely competitive -70kg category. A true powerhouse on the mat, Kelly boasts an impressive resume that includes Grand Slam medals and a European U23 title. Kelly recently claimed silver at the Dushanbe Grand Slam, adding to her gold from Dubrovnik and bronze in Warsaw. These performances have propelled her to No.15 in the World Rankings, with her sights firmly set on breaking into the top 10.
She’s set to compete on Day 5, Tuesday 17th June, with action beginning at 11:00am local time (10:00am BST). In the round of 32, she will face Peru’s Xsara Morales Falconi in her opening fight.
Finally, we have a trio to round out our British squad at the World Championships, consisting of Emma Reid, Ollie Barratt and Rhys Thompson.
A consistent force on the international stage, Emma Reid (Redbridge JC) enters the World Championships as Great Britain’s highest-ranked athlete in the -78kg category. She recently hit a career-high World Ranking of No.7 after claiming gold in Dushanbe this May and came agonisingly close to a maiden European Championships medal, just missing out on bronze last month.
With appearances at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships under her belt, including a World Championships bronze medal in Abu Dhabi last year, Reid brings vital experience, composure, and leadership to the British squad.
She is also GB’s only seeded fighter for this event, entering as the 6th seed. As a result, she will receive a bye in the round of 32 and begin her competition in the round of 16, where she will face Cyprus’ Zanet Michaelidou.
Ollie Barratt (Dragons Academy) is a rising talent in the -100kg category and has steadily climbed the international ranks, earning his place on the World Championships team thanks to a string of strong performances on the IJF World Tour. He arrives in Hungary fresh from his first career medal contest on the tour, narrowly missing out on bronze at the Dushanbe Grand Slam in early May.
Building on that momentum and the valuable experience gained at last month’s European Championships, the Welshman will be looking to make his mark against the world’s best.
Like most of his group, Barratt receives a bye in the round of 32 and will begin his campaign in the round of 16 against Mongolia’s Khuderchuluun Bayartsengel.
Joining Ollie in the -100kg category is Rhys Thompson (Enfield JC), who adds both experience and physical presence to the British squad. With numerous European and Grand Slam appearances to his name, he’s certainly one to watch in Budapest.
After a recent injury that forced him to withdraw from the European Championships, Rhys returns to competition on the sport’s biggest stage. He’ll be aiming to recapture the form that earned him his first Grand Prix medal at the end of 2024.
He will begin his day in the round of 32, where he faces the Netherlands’ Simeon Catharina in his opening fight.
This trio will round out GB’s World Championships campaign on Day 6, Wednesday 18th June, with action getting underway at 11:30am local time (10:00am BST).
As the team prepares to step onto the world stage, we wish all six British judoka the very best of luck in Budapest.
Their hard work, resilience, and determination have earned them this opportunity, and we can’t wait to cheer them on as they go toe-to-toe with the world’s best.
Let’s get behind the team and show our support — come on, GB!
To follow the event live, you can watch every fight on JudoTV
