Junior World and European Championship Squads Unveiled
July 16, 2026
British Judo is pleased to confirm the athletes selected to represent Great Britain at the 2026 Junior European Championships and Junior World Championships.
The quartet have earned their places following a series of strong performances on the national and international circuit and will now have the opportunity to test themselves against the world’s best junior judoka.
The Junior European Championships will take place in Podgorica, Montenegro, from 3–6 September 2026, before the world’s best junior judoka head to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for the Junior World Championships from 19–21 November 2026.
The Championships provide an important milestone within the international performance pathway, offering valuable experience against the highest level of junior competition and serving as a stepping stone towards future senior success.
Irakli Goginashvili (Palavani Judo Club) spearheads the squad after another impressive year on the tatami. In a year which has seen him claim multiple scalps on the Senior World Tour, he returns to the Junior circuit with eyes on retaining his -73kg Junior European crown secured in Bratislava last year. He will be looking to go one step further in the World Championships after a bronze medal in Lima in 2025. He has since made his Grand Slam and Grand Prix debut as he looks to earn further international accolades.
Lola Hodson (Dragons Academy) will compete at -52kg. Fresh from her selection to represent Team Wales at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Hodson has already secured back-to-back bronze medals at the Kaunas and Poznan Junior European Cups this year. With a hard-fought fifth-place at last year’s European Championships, she will be looking to use the experience to help her go one step further this year with a podium finish.
She will be joined in the -52kg competition by compatriot Kate Chisholm (Judo Sensei London) who will be looking to emulate her excellent run of Junior European Cup form. Over the past 12 months, the 18-year-old has competed at five Junior European Cups. Since May 2025, she has recorded a series of strong performances: fifth place in Kaunas, followed by another fifth-place finish in Birmingham, then seventh in Móstoles, before securing medals with silver in Poznań and most recently bronze at the Kaunas Junior European Cup last month.
Nicole Wood (Bishops Stortford) rounds out the team in the -78kg competition and has had a strong year, picking up silver medals at the Kaunas and Poznan Junior European Cups to back up a Gold medal in Riga. She faced a tough first-round draw in the 2025 edition of the European Championships and will be looking to make her mark in a competitive category this time round.
British Judo Performance Director Kate Howey MBE said:
“Congratulations to all four athletes selected to represent Great Britain at this year’s Junior European and Junior World Championships. Selection for these events is never straightforward, and each of these judoka has consistently demonstrated the performances required to earn their place on the team.”
“They have all shown real progression throughout the season, and this is another important step in their development on the international stage. Competing at major championships is invaluable experience, and we’re excited to see how they perform against the very best in Europe and the world.”
