Tokyo World Championship Preview

The International Judo Federation (IJF) World Championships start on Sunday at the home of Judo; Tokyo, Japan.

With the World Championships also acting as a test event for next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games it is a great opportunity for British Judo players to experience the competition environment prior to the 2020 Games.

The individual programme in Tokyo runs for 7-days and great news for British Judo fans is that there is GB interest on each of those individual days.

Following his recent silver medal at the Zagreb Grand Prix, Ashley McKenzie (-60kg) gets the action underway on Sunday. He is followed by 2018 European Games, and Zagreb Grand Prix bronze medallist Chelsie Giles (-52kg) on Monday.

Tuesday sees defending World Championship silver medallist, Nekoda Smythe-Davis (-57kg) compete. She will be joined by Senior British Judo debutants, 2018 European U23 Championship silver medallist, Lele Nairne (-57kg), and recent Montreal and Zagreb Grand Prix 7^th placed player, Eric Ham (-73kg).

Wednesday is another busy day as European Games silver medallist Alice Schlesinger (-63kg) and European Games 7^th placed player Stuart McWatt (-81kg) compete, along with 2015 World Junior Championship bronze medallist, Lucy Renshall (-63kg) will also be making her Senior World Championship debut.

Gemma Howell (-70kg) heads into Tokyo as one of the most in-form players in world judo following victory at the last two Grand Prix’s in Budapest and Zagreb last month. She will compete on Thursday alongside Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sally Conway (-70kg). Following a career best performance at the Minsk European Games, narrowly missing out on bronze, Frazer Chamberlain (-90kg) makes his World Championship debut and Max Stewart (-90kg) also competes after his recent 5^th placed finish at the Zagreb Grand Prix.

On Friday, 2017 World Championship bronze medallist Natalie Powell (-78kg) competes and bringing the individual programme to a close on Saturday is 2018 World Championship 5^th placed player, Sarah Adlington (+78kg).

Full coverage of all the judo action can be viewed on the IJF website.

Elimination rounds vary day by day due to entry numbers, please see below for each day’s start time. Final Block is scheduled to commence at 11:00am (GMT) each day.

Elimination Rounds: (all times are GMT)

Sunday: 3:00am

Monday: 2:00am

Tuesday: 2:00am

Wednesday: 3:00am

Thursday: 4:00am

Friday: 4:00am

Saturday: 5:00am

A full round up of each day’s elimination rounds will be available on the British Judo social media channels each morning. While we will bring you all the action from Final Block, involving British Judo players, from 11:00am (GMT) via the British Judo social media channels.