Brazilian Confederation of the Blind Sports – Grand Prix Judo INFRAERO Saturday 14th March 2015

The fourth International Grand Prix INFRAERO for Blind and Visually Impaired athletes takes place this weekend in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Approximately 180 athletes will take to the tatami at the São Judas Tadeu University including four British Judo athletes, Jono Drane (-81kg), Chris Skelley (-100kg), Natalie Greenhough (-70kg) and Jack Hodgson (+100kg).

The competition gives the British team the opportunity to experience competing in Brazil ahead of the Paralympic Games at Rio 2016.

Drane (-81kg) will be looking to defend his title from last year’s event whilst Skelley (-100kg) will be looking to better his silver medal gained in 2014. Fresh from his success at the IBSA World Games in Hungary, Jack Hodgson (+100kg), will be looking to make an impression at the INFRAERO Grand Prix. Natalie Greenhough (-70kg), 2013 VI Junior World Champion, will be also be in Sao Paulo this weekend amongst the 47 female competitors.

British Judo Paralympic Coach, Ian Johns, said: “Off the back of a really successful World Cup in Hungary the squad are going out with high hopes of more silverware and the opportunity to experience Brazil ahead of the 2016 Paralympic games.

“Hungary was the start of an important competition block for the athletes in the search for Paralympic qualification which sees the squad competing in Brazil, Germany and then the World Games in Seoul, South Korea. It’s set to be a really tough but exciting time for the Great Britain VI squad.”

The competition will be followed by a training camp where British judoka will be training with athletes from around the world including the Brazilian Paralympic Judo team.

African Open, Casablanca

Eight British athletes will be competing at the two day African Open in Casablanca this weekend.

Team Bath’s Gregg Varey and Jan Gosiewki will be contesting the men in the -66kg and -73kg categories respectively, while British Judo Centre of Excellence athletes, Kelly Edwards (-52kg) and Amy Livesey (-63kg) will be contesting for medals and ranking points on Saturday.

Warsaw European Open bronze medallist, Philip Awiti-Alcaraz (-100kg) will be back in action and looking to gather further ranking points alongside Max Stewart (-81kg) and Jodie Myers (+78kg) who will also compete on Sunday.

Follow the action on www.ippon.org from 9:30am on Saturday and Sunday.

Pan American Open, Montevideo

Thirteen British athletes will be in action this weekend in Uruguay for the Montevideo Pan American Open.

Camberly based athletes, Owen Livesey (-81kg), Danny Williams (-73kg) and Frazer Chamberlain (-90kg) alongside Scotland based Connie Ramsay (-57kg) will all be in action following their medal success in Chile last week and hope to continue their form to medal again this weekend.

Lucas Rowe (-60kg), Liam Ashton-Farr (-66kg), Nathon Burns (-66kg), Aaron Turner (-66kg), Adam Hall (-100kg), Theo Spalding-McIntosh (+100kg), Kim Renicks (-48kg), Louise Renicks (-52kg) and Ashley Fleming (+78kg) will also be competing.

Follow all the action from the African and Pan American Opens live on www.ippon.org

Good luck to all our athletes competing this weekend.