Triple Medal Success for GB Judo at Sofia European Open
February 02, 2026
It was a successful weekend for British Judo at the Sofia European Open in Bulgaria, with three British judoka claiming two silver medals and one bronze.
Charlie Ayre (Tees Valley JC) continued his run of strong results by winning silver in the -60kg category. The medal follows his bronze at the Conegliano European Open in November and marks his first podium finish of 2026.
Ayre progressed confidently from the round of 32, producing consistent performances to reach the final. While he was unable to secure gold, it was an encouraging showing from the 20-year-old, who will next compete at the Ljubljana European Open in two weeks’ time.
Ethan Nairne (Bradley Stoke JC) also enjoyed a successful weekend, taking silver in the -73kg category, his first international medal since July 2025.
Nairne did not concede a score from the round of 32 through to the final. In the gold medal contest, a tight match was decided by a single yuko in favour of his Bulgarian opponent, bringing his run to an end. Nevertheless, a great result for the -73kg judoka.
Lele Nairne (Bradley Stoke JC) completed the medal tally with bronze in the -57kg division. The result came in her first international competition since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Having competed domestically since then, she made a strong return to international competition with a composed performance in Sofia, and we can’t wait to see more from her in 2026!
Congratulations to the whole team!
