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Top team selected for Glasgow European Open for Men
September 30, 2013
Four London 2012 Olympians have been chosen to represent Great Britain at the European Open for Men, taking place at the new Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October.
Moscow Grand Slam silver winner Colin Oates (-66kg), San Salvador silver medallist Danny Williams (-73kg) Samsun Grand Prix bronze medallist Chris Sherrington (+100kg) and James Austin, all Olympians, have been selected for GB.
Other athletes selected for the biggest judo event ever to be hosted in Scotland, at the venue of the 2015 European Judo Championships, include: Nathon Burns and Lewis Keeble (both -66kg), Jan Gosiewski and Patrick Dawson (both -73kg), Tom Reed (-81kg), Michael Horley and Matthew Purssey (both -90kg), Ben Fletcher and Philip Awiti-Alcaraz (-100kg).
Norfolk judoka Colin Oates, who shot to silver at the Moscow Grand Slam earlier this year and finished seventh at the London 2012 Olympics, said: “It’s great to be selected because its the first time I will have competed at the European open in GB in a number of years. I am determined to take my first ever medal there which I have failed to do on two previous occasions.”
Oates recently beat two-time world champion and double Olympic bronze medalist Rishod Sobirov of Uzbekistan and reigning Olympic Champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili of Georgia, who he lost to in the quarter-finals of London 2012.
Scottish-based Chris Sherrington is also looking forward to the European Open: “I am really pleased to be selected for the Glasgow European Open and hope to pull a great result there,” he said.
“With a big home crowd coming along to cheer us on, I am hoping we can pick up some silverware, even a gold!”
Meanwhile, Kendal’s Michael Horley, who recently took gold at the European Cup in Germany and another silver this weekend in Belgrade, added: “It is great I’ve been selected for the Glasgow European Open, I am excited for my training block up until Glasgow. Looking forward to lifting some heavy stuff at the gym.”
Bath-based Tom Reed added: “This European Open, formerly the GB World Cup is the event where I first broke through at senior international level so it is a special tournament for me. I feel that, come October 20th, I will be in great shape to go one better than the silver medal I won in 2009. I’m really looking forward to competing in Glasgow with the rest of the GB team.”
Competitions will take place across two action-packed days and with support from the home crowd, the atmosphere is sure to be electric.
Book your place now, and remember that you can save up to 33 per cent by booking in advance online. Day tickets are £15 or £20 for the weekend with concessions at half price.
Purchase tickets from the Glasgow box office via the British Judo website -www.britishjudo.org.uk/glasgow2013 or by calling 0141 353 8000.
Meanwhile, fighting at the European Open in Rome for the women on 19 October are Kelly Edwards (-52kg), Connie Ramsay (-57kg) and Faith Pitman (-63kg), Megan Fletcher (-70kg) and Sarah Adlington (+78kg).
Further self-funding selections for both events will be announced next week.