Let the Games begin

Preview of the Commonwealth Games

Judo will be one of the first sports to open the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games with three sessions taking place between 23 July and 26 July at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) Precinct in the West End.

In Scotland, judo has become one of the national sports and the nation always puts forward a strong judo team at the Commonwealth Games. Along with England, Wales, Canada and Australia, Scotland should lead the charge for medals as the sport returns to the Games programme for the first time since Manchester 2002.

There are five home nation teams: Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Guernesy in the Channel Islands.

Judo itself has grown in popularity throughout the Commonwealth. It is a highly physical sport with a strong ethical code and guiding philosophy.

In a display of physical strength and tactical positioning, the sport pits two athletes against each other in a contest to control and dictate the movements of the opponent. The aim is to score points by throwing them to the ground or immobilising them with armlocks, holds or strangles.

Both male and female athletes – dressed in the traditional white and blue Judogi (uniforms) – will compete in 14 defined weight categories in Glasgow, vying for the 14 gold medals on offer.

BBC Sport will bring audiences all the action live from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games across TV, radio, online and mobile from 23 July – see the full timetable of events below and click here to view the BBC TV schedule.

Timetable of events

Thursday 24 July 2014

10:00–16:00

Mens -60kg, -66kg and Womens -48kg, -52kg, -57kg Preliminaries, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Repechage.

18:00–20:45

Mens -60kg, -66kg and Womens -48kg, -52kg, -57kg: Gold and Bronze medal contests.

Friday 25 July 2014

10:00–16:00

Men’s -73kg, -81kg and Womens 63kg, -70kg:

Preliminaries, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Repechage.

18:00–20:45  

Mens -73kg, -81kg and Womens -63kg, -70kg: Gold and Bronze medal contests.

Saturday 26 July 2014

10:00–16:00

Mens -90kg, -100kg, +100kg and Womens -78kg, +78kg

Preliminaries, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Repechage.

18:00–20:45

Mens -90kg, -100kg, +100kg and Womens -78kg, +78kg: Gold and Bronze medal contests.

Words by Donna Richardson