13 judoka selected for World Judo Championships

British Judo are pleased to announce the 13 judoka selected to compete at the upcoming IJF World Championships in Qatar, Doha from 7^th – 13^th May.

Lucy Renshall (SKK; Pete Blood) will head to Qatar as the world number one ranked -63kg fighter following her recent gold medal at the Tbilisi Grand Slam. Renshall recorded a 7^th place finish at the Tashkent World Championships in 2022.

Renshall will be joined by current European Champion Gemma Howell (Wolverhampton JC; Bill Kelly) in the -63kg category.

Kelly Petersen-Pollard (Hardy Spicer; Fitzroy Davies) and Jemima Yeats-Brown (Ryecroft Judokwai; Ian Oliver) have been selected to compete in the -70kg category. Petersen-Pollard makes her second World Championship appearance whilst Yeats-Brown competes at her third World Championships.

Two judoka have also been selected in the -57kg category. Lele Nairne (Bradley Stoke; Pete Douglas) makes her second World Championship appearance whilst two-time medallist Nekoda Smythe-Davis (Ealing Judo Club; Jo Crowley) makes her return to the World Championship stage.

Another former World Championship medallist, Natalie Powell (Irfon JC), makes her 8^th World Championship appearance alongside Emma Reid (Redbridge JC; Steve Sandy) in the -78kg category.

Lachlan Moorhead (Sheffield JC; Matt Moorhead) and Samuel Hall (Ryecroft JC; Fitzroy Davies) will both compete at their second World Championships in the -81kg and -60kg categories respectively. Moorhead is Commonwealth Games gold medallist whilst Hall claimed silver at Birmingham 2022.

Following a string of recent impressive performances, at the age of 21, Charlie Young (Ryecroft Judokwai; Paul Young) makes his World Championship debut. The -66kg judoka recently made his World Tour debut after winning gold at the Rome European Open.

Two more judoka making their World Championship debuts are Jamal Petgrave (Westcroft Judo Club; Andy Ede) and Harry Lovell-Hewitt (Stroud JC; Richard Neale) in the -90kg and -100kg category. Petgrave recently won bronze at the Warsaw European Open whilst Lovell-Hewitt has picked up two European Open silver medals this year in Sofia and Rome.

With only two fighters permitted per weight category, Acelya Toprak (Metro JC/ Relentless Judo; Darren Hawney/ Fitzroy Davies) has been named as a reserve in the -57kg category.

British Judo Performance Director Nigel Donohue, said:

“The 2023 World Championships in Qatar is the premier event of the IJF World Tour and we are pleased to confirm a strong team of eight women and five men. The women’s team all have international pedigree who have performed and medalled at Grand Prix and Grand Slam level, where we have seen some very impressive performances over the last couple of months leading into these championships. Our men’s programme is growing in strength where the team has selected itself. All have a strong Olympic Qualification ranking and have medalled at European Open level. Special mentions to Charlie Young who competes in his first World Championships and recently won the Rome European Open and also to Harry Lovell-Hewitt, who has overcome a career ending injury a few years ago, to make back recent back-to-back European Open finals and also earn his first World Championships selection.

“Chelsie Giles will not compete in these World Championships. Having won silver in 2022, her Year 1 Olympic Qualification is very much on track and will be focussing on the IJF World Masters in August as her primary event this year, which is a key Year 2 Olympic Qualification event.

“The team will follow a tried and tested preparation programme over the next few weeks and we have high expectations that each fighter will deliver their ‘best on the day performance’.”

British Judo Team for the 2023 Doha World Judo Championships

Women

-57kg Lele Nairne (Bradley Stoke; Pete Douglas)

-57kg Nekoda Smythe-Davis (Ealing Judo Club; Jo Crowley)

-63kg Lucy Renshall (SKK; Pete Blood)

-63kg Gemma Howell (Wolverhampton JC; Bill Kelly)

-70kg Kelly Petersen-Pollard (Hardy Spicer; Fitzroy Davies)

-70kg Jemima Yeats-Brown (Ryecroft Judokwai; Ian Oliver)

-78kg Natalie Powell (Irfon JC)

-78kg Emma Reid (Redbridge JC; Steve Sandy)

-57kg Acelya Toprak (Metro JC/ Relentless Judo; Darren Hawney/ Fitzroy Davies) (Reserve)

Men

-60kg Sam Hall (Ryecroft JC; Fitzroy Davies)

-66kg Charlie Young (Ryecroft Judokwai; Paul Young)

-81kg Lachlan Moorhead (Sheffield JC; Matt Moorhead)

-90kg Jamal Petgrave (Westcroft Judo Club; Andy Ede)

-100kg Harry Lovell-Hewitt (Stroud JC; Richard Neale)

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