Olympic silver medallist Gemma Gibbons will make a big comeback from injury at the Budapest Grand Prix that takes place in Hungary from tomorrow until Sunday.

It will be Gibbons’ first major competition back ahead of the Commonwealth Games and she’ll be joined by her husband Euan Burton (-100kg) and their fellow London 2012 Olympians Ashley McKenzie and Chris Sherrington (+100kg).

This is one of the last judo Grand Prix events in the build up to the Commonwealths and the points scored here will count towards Rio 2016 qualification.

It will also be Euan’s final appearance on the IJF world tour circuit: “I really appreciate the opportunities that these events have given me over my career and thank British Judo and the IJF for making it possible for me to compete at such fantastic events all over the globe,” he said.

“In essence I am using this weekend as final preparation for the Commonwealth Games. The quality of the field is exceptional and at -100kg I am not sure that I can put myself into the medal zone however I will as always give it my best shot. In any case I am going to enjoy it and hope that it puts me in a good place to perform in my final event in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games.”

Also in action are fellow Commonwealth contenders Patrick Dawson (-73kg), Owen Livesey (-81kg), Tom Reed (-81kg), Ben Fletcher (-100kg), Nekoda Davis (-57kg), Louise Renicks (-52kg) Stephanie Inglis (-57kg), Sarah Clark (-63kg), Megan Fletcher (-70kg) and Natalie Powell (-78kg) plus Jodie Mullen (-63kg).

Coaches attending are Jo Crowley, Luke Preston, Billy Cusack, David Somerville, Darren Warner and Juergen Klinger.

Words by Donna Richardson