Team GB will take a squad of 10 judoka to compete at the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) taking place in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia from 24 to 30 July 2022, including Daniel Givan (66kg) from Danderhall Judo Club.
Banská Bystrica 2022 will see around 3,500 athletes and officials represent 48 European nations across 10 Olympic sports. Team GB’s athletes, who will all be aged 13-18 at the event, will compete in five sports: badminton, cycling, gymnastics, judo, and swimming. Athletics, basketball, handball, tennis, and volleyball complete the sporting programme.
EYOFs play an important role in the development of young British athletes, providing crucial multi-sport event experience and guiding them towards realising their Olympic ambitions. Many athletes who have competed for Team GB at a summer EYOF have gone on to compete at an Olympic Games, including Rebecca Adlington (Paris 2003 EYOF), Dina Asher-Smith (Trabzon 2011), Nile Wilson (Utrecht 2013), Amy Tinkler (Utrecht 2013), Tom Pidcock (Tblisi 2015) and more.
Leading the Team GB delegation as Chef de Mission at Banksá Bystrica 2022 will be Lizzie Simmonds, who competed in the Lignano Sabbiadoro 2005 EYOF before going on to represent Team GB at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games. She is also current chair of the British Olympic Association’s Athletes’ Commission.
Simmonds said: “Being selected for Team GB for the first time is a real honour and privilege, and I’m sure today marks a very proud moment for the 40 talented athletes that have qualified for Banská Bystrica 2022.
“Youth Olympic Festivals are a hugely important events, offering young athletes invaluable international competition and the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a multi-sport environment. Embracing and learning from an experience like this one can be the first step in a journey towards competing for Team GB at a senior Olympic Games.
“Having experienced an EYOF myself as an athlete, I’m now looking forward to welcoming a new generation of sporting superstars to Team GB, and supporting them to perform at their best on the European stage this summer.”