The International Judo Federation (IJF) World Tour returns this weekend as Turkey prepares to host the judo family at the second edition of the Antalya Grand Slam.

With just three months remaining before the start of the 2024 Olympic qualification period, fighters are battling for important points to secure a position as high as possible in the world rankings.

An 18-strong GB Judo team, 6 of whom make their Grand Slam debuts, have travelled to the shores of the Mediterranean to secure valuable world qualification points and stake a claim to be considered for the upcoming European Championships.

Friday

-52kg

There is a strong European line up in the -52kg category with the top 6 seeded positions all being held by fighters from European nations, including our very own Chelsie Giles. The Olympic bronze medallist and world number 3 is seeded 2^nd and, following an opening round bye, will face either Kelly Deguchi (CAN) or 2021 Antalya Grand Slam silver medallist Estrella Lopez-Sheriff (ESP).

Giles will be joined by 2021 British Champion, Chloe Robyns-Landricombe who makes her Grand Slam debut. Robyns-Landricombe also has an opening round bye and will face 8^th seed and 4x Grand Slam bronze medallist, Khorloodoi Bishrelt (MGL) in Round 2.

-60kg

Three-time Olympian, Ashley McKenzie, last competed in Antalya in 2019, back when it was a Grand Prix. McKenzie claimed bronze on that occasion in a year that eventually saw him finish 7^th at the IJF Masters.

Drawn in Pool D, McKenzie will face Ryan Conceicao (BRA) in the opening round.

-57kg

GB Judo’s current top two -57kg fighters are both in action. The British Championship Final between Acelya Toprak and Lele Nairne was arguably one of the fights of the Championships.

Toprak has enjoyed a great recent run of form, placing or medalling at all but one of her competitions since September. Toprak finished the 2021 season with a 5^th place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, in what was only her 3^rd Grand Slam appearance. Toprak has been drawn against 5^th seed, and recent Tel Aviv Grand Slam bronze medallist, Timna Nelson-Levy (ISR) in Round 2, following an opening round bye.

Nairne meanwhile makes her Grand Slam debut. The 2019 World Championship representative competes internationally for the first time since October where she placed 5^th at the Malaga European Open.

Nairne also has an opening round bye and will face Vera Zemanova (CZE) in Round 2. The pair last met in 2019 at the Prague European Open where Nairne was victorious.

-66kg

With aspirations of representing Wales at this summer’s Commonwealth Games, Gregg Varey returns to the location of his highest Grand Slam finish. In 2021 Varey finished 7^th at the Antalya Grand Slam. Drawn in Pool D, Varey has an opening round contest against current Asia-Oceania Junior Championship bronze medallist Abubakr Sherov (TJK).

2021 British Champion, Varey, will be joined by Judo Scotland’s Alexander Short. Short, who is making his Grand Slam debut has been drawn against the current World Championship silver medallist Gusman Kyrgyzbayev (KAZ).

Saturday

-63kg

Lucy Renshall (featured image) has rocketed up the world rankings following the Tokyo Olympic Games and now finds herself ranked number 2 in the world.

Heading to Antalya as the number 1 seed following back-to-back Grand Slam gold medals in Baku and Abu Dhabi in November, Renshall has an opening round bye and will have a familiar opponent in Round 2 as she faces Panamerican Championship silver medallist Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz (MEX).

-70kg

Kelly Petersen-Pollard continues to impress in the senior ranks having progressed from the Junior category in 2019. The 22yr old has already made three Grand Slam podiums, results that now see her ranked 10^th in the world.

Seeded 3^rd, Petersen-Pollard will face Grand Slam debutant Ssu-Tzu Chang (TPE) in Round 2, following an opening round bye.

Jemima Yeats-Brown is no stranger to the Grand Slam circuit having made her debut back in 2016 with a bronze medal in Abu Dhabi. Having recently stepped back down to the -70kg category, Yeats-Brown had a great end to the 2021 season and started the 2022 season in similar fashion with a 7^th place finish at the Portugal Grand Prix.

Yeats-Brown also has an opening round bye and will face 8^th seed, and 7x Grand Slam bronze medallist, Elvismar Rodriguez (VEN) in Round 2.

-73kg

Following two 5^th placed finishes at the Warsaw and Prague European Open’s, Daniel Powell makes the step up to the IJF World Tour to compete at his 5^th Grand Slam event.

Powell faces Turpal Djoukaev (FIN) in his opening round contest in Pool C.

-81kg

There is a welcome return to the Grand Slam stage for Stuart McWatt who finished 5^th at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam in February 2021. Unfortunately, an injury sustained in the bronze medal contest ended his season and any dream of Tokyo Olympic qualification.

McWatt will face 2x Grand Slam bronze medallist Francois Gauthier-Drapeau (CAN) in the opening round.

McWatt is joined by Grand Slam debutant Louis Delsol who has been drawn against Baku Grand Slam silver medallist Dominik Druzeta (CRO) in Round 1.

Sunday

-78kg

Emma Reid is another fighter who has had a fantastic last 12months. Making her Grand Slam in Tbilisi exactly 1 year ago, she has gone on to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and finished 5^th in Paris. These results now see her ranked 13^th in the world rankings.

Seeded 6^th, Reid has an opening round bye and will face either Sandra Lickun (POL) or Asia-Oceania Junior Championship Champion, Iriskhon Kurbanbaeva (UZB) in Round 2.

Natalie Powell makes her 23^rd Grand Slam appearance in Antalya in what will be her first competition of the year, following a bronze medal at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam back in November.

Powell has been drawn in Pool A and will face Semanur Erdogan (TUR) in the opening round who has recently stepped up from the -70kg category.

-90kg

2021 Dubrovnik European Cup champion, Jamal Petgrave competes at his first Grand Slam of the year. Petgrave, who has placed 7^th on two occasions on the Grand Prix stage, has been drawn against Can Guzel (TUR) in Round 1.

-100kg

Max Gregory and Rhys Thompson are also making their IJF World Tour debuts. Following some impressive recent performances at the Sarajevo and Malaga European Opens, and Dubrovnik European Cup, where he won bronze, Gregory has been drawn against Kostadin Tsvetanov (BUL) in Round 2, following an opening round bye.

Rhys Thompson picked up GB Judo’s first medal of 2022 when he claimed bronze at the Sarajevo European Open in February. This was followed up with a 7^th place finish at the Prague European Open. Drawn in Pool A, Thompson has an opening round bye and will await the victor of the opening round contest between Karl-Richard Frey (GER), who finished 7th at the Tokyo Olympic Games, and Koffi-Kreme Kobena (CIV).

Preliminary Round action starts at 07:00am on Friday and Saturday and 07:30am Sunday.

Final Block is scheduled to commence at 15:00 on each day.

You can watch all the action from the Antalya Grand Slam LIVE on the British Judo homepage each day.