All eyes on Birmingham ahead of Junior European Cup

The Birmingham Junior European Cup heads to the home of British Judo this weekend for the second time.

96 Brits will be joined by judoka from 17 other nations as over 270 athletes will battle to be crowned 2024 Birmingham Junior European Cup champion.

We take a look at some of the key British judoka to watch this weekend.

-60kg

Charlie Ayre leads the British entries, seeded 6^th, following Kaunas Junior European Cup bronze last month

-66kg

2023 -60kg silver medallist, Lewis Fryer has stepped up to the -66kg category this year and enters as the 5^thseed.

-73kg

2023 European Junior Championship bronze medallist, Luke Davies leads the entry list as the number one seed following a silver medal at the Kaunas Junior European Cup ahead of Ben Levy who enters as 4^th seed following a bronze medal at the same event alongside Irakli Goginashvili who enters as 7^th seed.

Following silver and gold medals at the Marrakech Junior and Cadet African Cup’s last month, Oriol Rubio-Ruiz is seeded 5^th.

-81kg

Eryk Neumann is seeded 5^th after picking up a bronze medal at the Kaunas Junior European Cup.

-90kg

Luke Austen finished 7^th at the 2023 Birmingham Junior European Cup whilst Cameron Hickey placed 7^th at the Kaunas Junior European Cup last month.

+100kg

Daniel Ede took bronze at last years Birmingham Junior European Cup and has recorded 5^th place finishes at the Kaunas Junior European Cup and Marrakech African Open this year. He enters as 2^nd seed ahead of James Weller-Henry who placed 5^th at the 2023 Birmingham Junior European Cup

-48kg

Summer Shaw leads the -48kg entries after silver and bronze medals at the Kaunas and Podgorica Junior European Cups respectively. Shaw is joined by 8^th seed Rachael Gray who finished 7^th at the 2023 Birmingham Junior European Cup.

-52kg

Lucy Robinson is seeded 3^rd, however the one to watch will be Tara Babulfath from Sweden. Babulfath took bronze at the senior World Championships in Abu Dhabi earlier this year and has qualified as the youngest judoka to compete at the Paris Olympic Games in the -48kg category.

-57kg

Maddy Birri leads the -57kg entries. The Ealing Judo Club fighter finished 5^th at the 2024 Birmingham Junior European Cup before securing her first European Tour medal the following month. This year she has claimed a bronze at the Pozan Junior European Cup before a 5^th place finish at the Kaunas Junior European Cup last month.

2023 -52kg champion Charlotte Jenman has stepped up to the -57kg category in 2024 and enters in great form following a silver medal at the Kaunas Junior European Cup last time out.

Completing the GB Judo seeded fighters is Chloe Link. Link took bronze at the Kaunas Junior European Cup.

-63kg

Millie Bayliss heads to Birmingham in fine form having taken gold at the Marrakech Junior African Cup. She took gold ahead of Phoebe Digweed who enters as 4^th seed.

Katie Mills enters as 7^th seed and will be looking to secure her first European Junior Cup medal having finished 5^th at the Kaunas Junior European Cup recently.

-70kg

Holly Devall enters as the number one seed ahead of Nicole Wood who is seeded 3^rd. Devall enters in fine form having taken gold at the Kaunas Junior European Cup last month.

-78kg

Anya Hassan is seeded 2^nd in the -78kg category. Hassan finished 5^th 12 months ago but recently finished 2^nd at the Kaunas Junior European Cup.

Gracie Wilson joins Hassan and enters as 6^th seed following 5^th place finishes at the Kaunas and Sarajevo Junior European Cups.

+78kg

Harriet McRae leads the GB entries in the +78kg category following a 7^th place finish at the Malaga Junior European Cup last month.

View the full entry list

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