GB Judo announce first round of selections for 2018 World Judo Championships

GB Judo have named an initial seven strong team for the 2018 World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan (20 – 27 September) following the first round of selections earlier this week.

At the 2017 World Judo Championships in Budapest, Nekoda Smythe-Davis and Natalie Powell both won bronze medals as GB Judo achieved their best medal haul at a Worlds since 2007.

Rio 2016 bronze medallist Sally Conway (-70kg) headlines the team that includes six World and European medallists.

Conway has enjoyed a very successful 2018 to date including gold at the Paris Grand Slam and silver at the European Championships in Tel Aviv.

Fellow -70kg judoka Gemma Howell has continued to impress in 2018 with bronze medals at the European Championships, Tunis Grand Prix and Hohhot Grand Prix.

Current world bronze medallists Smythe-Davis (-57kg) and Powell (-78kg) have also had strong 2018s so far with Smythe-Davis winning a maiden Grand Slam gold in Dusseldorf and Powell winning a third straight European bronze medal.

Alice Schlesinger (-63kg) and Sarah Adlington (78kg) have both been rewarded for strong form at the back of 2017 that saw them win Grand Prix medals at The Hague and Tashkent with Schlesinger also finishing fifth at the Europeans earlier this year.

Ashley McKenzie has hit a consistent run of form since Rio 2016 and 2018 has been no different with bronze medals at the European Championships and Paris Grand Slam.

St Helens judoka Lucy Renshall (-63kg) had also achieved the required selection criteria but will not be considered for selection following a long-term knee injury sustained last month.

The final team for the 2018 World Judo Championships will be announced w/c 20 August following the second round of selection.

Pre-2018 World Judo Championships Media Day will take place on Thursday 23 August at the British Judo Centre of Excellence. Further details to follow in due course.