GB Squads Secure Six Medals at Casablanca African Events
January 26, 2026
It was an incredibly successful weekend for the GB Cadet, Junior and Senior squads in Morocco, with medals secured at the Casablanca Junior African Cup, Casablanca Cadet African Cup and the Casablanca African Open.
The Juniors kicked things off on 23 February at the Casablanca Junior African Cup 2026, delivering a string of strong performances throughout the day.
Lucy Robinson (Kin Ryu JC) claimed a bronze medal in the -52kg category — her first podium finish of 2026 and a brilliant way to open her competitive year.
Peter Davies (Ealing JC) followed suit with an excellent performance in the -81kg division, securing bronze and continuing his momentum after being crowned British Champion at the British Championships in December 2025.
Rounding off the Junior results, Paige Keane (Dragons Academy) produced a strong showing to finish 7th in the -70kg category.
Next up was the Casablanca Cadet African Cup 2026 on 24 February, with the standout performance coming from Aleksandra Dudko (Ealing JC). Drawn into a challenging opening contest against the world number seven in her division, Aleksandra showed great resilience by bouncing back strongly through the repechage.
She fought her way into the bronze medal contest and narrowly missed out on the podium on this occasion. Nevertheless, the competition provided valuable mat time and experience, making it a very positive and productive trip for Dudko.
Finally, the weekend concluded in outstanding fashion at the Casablanca African Open 2026 on 26 February, where GB enjoyed their greatest success of the weekend.
Sophie Wood (Sportif) delivered GB’s standout performance of the weekend, claiming gold in the -63kg category. She produced a dominant display throughout the day, progressing from the round of 32 to the final and emerging victorious without conceding a single score — a truly exceptional performance.
Holly Devall (Dragons Academy) also impressed in the -70kg division, fighting her way to the final and securing a silver medal, a strong result and an excellent start to her competitive year.
Also competing in the -70kg category, Rachael Hawkes (Camberley JC) gained valuable mat time against tough opposition, finishing in a solid 7th place.
Neil MacDonald (Judo Scotland) claimed bronze in the -66kg division following an impressive run from the round of 32 to the semi-finals. Despite narrowly missing out on the final, he bounced back to win the bronze medal contest and secure his place on the podium.
In the same division, Aiden Moffat (Tayside JC) added another strong performance, finishing 7th to place two British judoka inside the top seven of the category.
Cameron Charles (Camberley JC) added another bronze medal to GB’s tally, reaching the semi-finals before producing a standout performance in the bronze medal contest, sealing victory with an exciting ippon.
Joshua Whitehouse (Judo Swansea) narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the +100kg category after reaching the bronze medal contest. Nevertheless, it was a strong showing for the reigning British +100kg Champion.
Laurence Hill (Dragons Academy) recorded a solid 7th-place finish in the -60kg division, continuing a positive start to his competition year.
Luke Davies (Ealing JC) made a strong return to competition after nine months away from competitive judo, finishing 7th in the -81kg category — a promising step back onto the international stage.
Congratulations to everyone who competed!
