Team England Names Judo Squad for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
June 17, 2026
Team England has unveiled a 14-strong judo squad set to compete at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, featuring a powerful blend of proven medallists and exciting emerging talent.
The squad includes five returning Commonwealth Games medallists, alongside a wave of debutants eager to make their mark on the international stage.
Leading the team is Emma Reid (-78kg), who delivered one of the standout performances at Birmingham 2022 by defeating Natalie Powell to claim gold. She has since gone on to win multiple World Tour medals, alongside a World Championships bronze in 2024 and European Championships silver in 2026, cementing her status as one of Britain’s top judokas.
Also returning to defend his title is Jamal Petgrave (-90kg), who struck gold on his Commonwealth debut four years ago. He will be aiming to replicate that success in Glasgow, drawing on the experience gained in Birmingham as well as across his high-level career on the World and European Judo Tours.
Experience is further bolstered by Jemima Yeats-Brown (-70kg), a two-time Commonwealth bronze medallist competing at her third Games. Having first won bronze as a late call-up at Glasgow 2014 aged just 19, she returns to the same city 12 years later following another podium finish at Birmingham 2022.
She is joined once again by teammate Kelly Petersen-Pollard (-70kg), who shared the podium with her in Birmingham and returns as a multiple Grand Slam medallist with extensive experience, aiming for further success on the Commonwealth stage.
Acelya Toprak (-57kg), a silver medallist at Birmingham 2022, will be targeting gold this time after adding Grand Slam and Grand Prix medals to her growing collection. She has already shown strong form this year, with fifth-place finishes at both the Tbilisi Grand Slam and the European Championships. Meanwhile, Lele Nairne (-57kg), a Paris 2024 Olympian, returns for her second Commonwealth Games determined to improve on her narrow miss of a medal on debut, having already secured bronze at the Sofia European Open this year.
In one of the squad’s standout stories, Lele is joined by her younger brother Ethan Nairne (-73kg), whose highlight this year was a maiden Grand Prix title at the Upper Austria Grand Prix, making him just the fourth British male to achieve the feat. He also impressed on his senior European Championships debut, securing a seventh-place finish, and is among eight athletes set to make their Commonwealth Games debut.
The team also features Shelley Ludford (-78kg), who completes a remarkable comeback after nearly three years away from competition between 2021 and 2024 due to injury. She has shown strong form since her return, including a gold medal at the Ljubljana European Open in February.
Among the rising stars is Charlie Ayre (-60kg), the youngest member of the squad at just 20 years old, who recently gained valuable experience at the senior European Championships and claimed silver at the Sofia European Open. He is joined by fellow debutant Ben Levy (-73kg), who arrives in Glasgow on the back of a bronze medal at the Paris Grand Slam earlier this year on his debut at the prestigious event.
Heavyweight contenders Max Gregory (-100kg) and Wesley Greenidge (+100kg) will also make their Commonwealth Games debuts. Gregory returns after missing out on selection in 2022 due to injury, while Greenidge earns his first opportunity on the Games stage.
Completing the line-up are debutants Michael Fryer (-66kg), who took an impressive seventh-place finish at the Paris Grand Slam this year, and Tatum Keen (-52kg), who enters the competition in strong form following her first World Tour medal, a silver at the Tbilisi Grand Slam earlier this year.
Team England Chef de Mission Jonathon Riall said: “It is brilliant to be able to announce our judo squad, another milestone in our preparations for Glasgow 2026.
“It is really exciting to welcome back reigning champions and medallists alongside lots of new faces who will represent Team England for the first time. I know they are all going to put on a show in Glasgow and make the country proud.”
Team England’s Head Coach, Luke Preston, said: “I am really excited and proud to be part of this special team as they compete in Glasgow.
“A strong mix of youth and experience, we have Commonwealth Games debutants and defending champions, all of whom will be going for gold this summer.
“This will be my third Commonwealth Games as a Team England coach, and I am looking forward to making new memories with our team that will last a lifetime.”
The athletes selected to represent Team England are:
Men
- Charlie Ayre (-60kg)
- Michael Fryer (-66kg)
- Ethan Nairne (-73kg)
- Ben Levy (-73kg)
- Jamal Petgrave (-90kg)
- Max Gregory (-100kg)
- Wesley Greenidge (+100kg)
Women
- Tatum Keen (-52kg)
- Acelya Toprak (-57kg)
- Lele Nairne (-57kg)
- Kelly Petersen-Pollard (-70kg)
- Jemima Yeats-Brown (-70kg)
- Emma Reid (-78kg)
- Shelley Ludford (-78kg)
