2014 Winner Patrick Dawson back in Sofia

Eleven British judoka are in action this weekend in Sofia, Bulgaria at the first European Open of the year. The 11 includes a mix of players looking to gain valuable Rio Olympic qualifications points and others aiming to gain valuable experience with Tokyo 2020 a long-term focus.

Eight of the team are in action on Saturday 30 January including 2015 Under-23 and Junior European champions Amy Livesey (-63kg) and Lucy Renshall (-63kg). They are joined in the -63kg category by Lubjana Piovesana.

Patrick Dawson and Jan Gosiewski are both looking to take an important step on the Road to Rio at -73kg while Gregg Varey (-66kg) will be aiming for his first European Continental Open medal. Dawson was the last Briton to win the gold in Sofia in 2014.

Bekky Livesey (-57kg) joins her older sister Amy on the tatami on Saturday while Kim Renicks (-48kg) continues her push for Olympic qualification.

Sunday 31 January will see three more British judoka competing with Jemima Yeats-Brown (-70kg) looking for a first Continental medal at her new weight category having previously medalled twice at -63kg.

Philip Awiti-Alcaraz (-100kg), who took a silver and a bronze at two European Opens last year, will be hoping to go one better in Sofia while Sarah Adlington (+78kg) will want to improve on her seventh place finish in Sofia last year.

Last year Alice Schlesinger made her comeback in Sofia with silver U63kg and Gemma Gibbons took bronze in Sofia. Since 2005 only 5 British won a medal. 

text: by British Judo