British Judo have today announced its first stage selection for the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan from 25-31^st August.

The team will be finalised with a second stage selection on week commencing 29^th July with the final British Judo team being announced shortly after.

The team consists of current World Championship silver medallist Nekoda Smythe-Davis (weight: -57kg; coach: Jo Crowley) and Rio Olympic Games bronze medallist Sally Conway (-70kg; Billy Cusack).

Current European Championship bronze medallists Lucy Renshall (-63kg; Pete Blood), Gemma Howell (-70kg; Bill Kelly), Natalie Powell (-78kg; Darren Warner) and Ashley McKenzie (-60kg; Luke Preston) have also been selected in a strong British Judo team.

Following the first stage of selection, British Judo Performance Director Nigel Donohue has said: ‘This is the first time in my years as Performance Director that we have been in a position to select such as large team at the first stage of selection. What this means for the athletes is they can now focus solely on their individual preparation for the World Championships in the knowledge that they have been selected. The selected athletes have enjoyed a great start to the year with medals at Grand Slam and Grand Prix level, and we hope that this will continue at the upcoming European Games in Minsk ahead of Tokyo.

The Tokyo World Championships will act as great preparation for the British Judo team ahead of next year’s Olympic Games as we can become settled in the performance environment and the team selected reflects our ambitions to best achieve success at the Tokyo Games.’

The full first stage selection is as follows:

Men:

Ashley McKenzie (Weight: -60kg; Coach: Preston; Club: Camberley)

Women:

Chelsie Giles (-52kg; Simon Moss; Coventry)

Nekoda Smythe-Davis (-57kg; Crowley; Ealing)

Lucy Renshall (-63kg; Blood; S.K.K)

Sally Conway (-70kg; Cusack; Edinburgh)

Gemma Howell (-70kg; Kelly; Wolverhampton)

Natalie Powell (-78kg; Warner; Irfon)

Sarah Adlington (+78kg; Cusack; Edinburgh)