17 British judoka to Europeans in Sofia

British Judo are pleased to announce the fighters selected during the final stage selections for the European Championships due to take place in Sofia, Bulgaria from 29th April – 1st May. Eight fighters join the nine that were selected during the first wave selections in February.

Ashley McKenzie joins Sam Hall in the U60kg category. Three-time Olympian McKenzie is a double European Championship bronze medallist, the last coming at the 2018 Championships in Tel Aviv.

Acelya Toprak joins the 7 female fighters selected in stage one. Toprak, who won silver at the Junior European Championships in 2017, enjoyed a great end to 2021 wining gold at the Dubrovnik European Cup before taking bronze at the Malaga European Open and a 5th place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam.

At the age of 33, Gregg Varey makes his European Championship debut in the U66kg category alongside another debutant Alexander Short. Short won gold at the Dubrovnik European Cup in October whilst Welsh judoka Varey was crowned British Champion in 2021.

Another fighter making their senior European Championship debut is Daniel Powell. Powell is a European U23 Championship bronze medallist and claimed silver at the Sarajevo European Open in September.

Stuart McWatt joins Lachlan Moorhead in the U81kg category. After finishing 7th at the European Games in 2019, McWatt makes a welcome return to the GB Judo team after injury ended his hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Jamal Petgrave makes his second senior European Championship appearance. The U90kg fighter who has medalled at Junior and U23 European Championships won gold at the Dubrovnik European Cup in October.

Rhys Thompson won GB Judo’s first medal of 2022, taking bronze at the Sarajevo European Open in February. Thompson, who made his Grand Slam debut this weekend in Antalya, will make his European Championship debut in Sofia.

Also representing GB Judo is Lisa Rivers, who has been selected as a referee, meaning she has now been selected to referee at Cadet, Junior, Masters and now Senior European Championships.

Women

U52kg   Chelsie Giles

U57kg   Acelya Toprak

U63kg   Lucy Renshall

U63kg   Gemma Howell

U70kg   Kelly Petersen-Pollard

U70kg   Jemima Yeats-Brown

U78kg   Natalie Powell

U78kg   Emma Reid

Men

U60kg   Sam Hall             

U60kg   Ashley McKenzie             

U66kg   Gregg Varey

U66kg   Alex Short    

U73kg   Daniel Powell 

U81kg   Stuart McWatt 

U81kg   Lachlan Moorhead

U90kg   Jamal Petgrave 

U100kg Rhys Thompson