With one year to go to the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games the British Judo Paralympic team is looking forward to the prospect of representing Great Britain next year.

With four of the players currently ranked in the top ten in their respective weight categories, the team are well placed going into the last qualifying competition of their cycle at the IBSA Judo European Championships in Portugal in November.

One of the athletes currently in qualifying position is Paralympic silver and bronze medallist Sam Ingram (-90kg) and the two-time Paralympian is looking forward to the prospect of competing at his third Paralympic Games and going for that elusive gold medal:

“With the Games getting closer every day, I think excitement is building throughout the whole of the team.  Obviously I have competed in similar events in the past and I’m sure I will enjoy this Paralympics just as much as Beijing and London.  I’m sure this Games will have its own unique South American style.” 

British Judo Paralympic Head Coach Ian Johns feels his team have shown their ability to match the match the best in the world, including two silver and one bronze medal at the IBSA World Games earlier this year, and is looking forward to seeing how they compete in Rio next year:

“With one year to go to the Rio games, we have four athletes out of five in strong qualifying positions leading into the European Championships in November.

“It is an exciting prospect that one year from now our athletes will be ready to take on the rest of the world for the title of Paralympic champion. As we have shown over this qualification period the guys are massively proud to pull on the GB tracksuit and have proven we are a force to be reckoned with.

“The squad always give their best and with one year to go I am excited as to what they can achieve in Rio.”

Current British Judo VI Team rankings (as of 14 August 2015):

Jonathan Drane (-81kg): 6th

Sam Ingram (-90kg): 5th

Chris Skelley (-100kg): 6th

Jack Hodgson (+100kg): 6th

Natalie Greenhough (-70kg): 11th

Interested in trying out VI Judo or just want to find out more? Then email vijudo@britishjudo.org.uk and a member of our team will be happy to help