News

As momentum continues to build ahead of Glasgow 2026 this summer, we want to embrace the theme of #GiveToGain this International Women’s Day and celebrate the incredible Scottish female judo medallists from Commonwealth Games past. These individuals continue to break down barriers, inspire change, and understand first-hand the power of investing in and supporting future generations of female judoka in Scotland.   

After being included in the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh as a demonstration sport, judo has proudly featured in four Commonwealth Games over the decades with Team Scotland securing medal success at each one.  At every stage of that journey, Scotland’s female judoka have not only delivered podium performances but helped build a stronger pathway for the young women now coming through the sport. 

Auckland 1990 

The 1990 Games in Auckland marked a historic milestone as the first Commonwealth Games to feature judo and our female judoka made an immediate impact. Loretta Doyle led the way with a gold medal in the -56kg category. With World and European Champion titles already in hand, Loretta’s influence has continued far beyond her competitive career. Serving as a regular commentator for the EJU and IJF Media teams and holding senior leadership roles across the Paris 2024 Olympics, and the Birmingham 2022 and Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games environments, she continues to raise the visibility of the sport. 

Scotland’s medal success was further strengthened by Claire Shiach, who secured silver in the -52kg division and she has since become a key figure in athlete development. Recently recognised as JudoScotland’s Performance Pathway Coach of the Year for her coaching work at Pro Judo, Claire now plays a direct role in nurturing young Scottish talent and strengthening the pathway for aspiring female athletes. Donna Robertson added bronze in the -48kg category, completing a remarkable debut for Scottish women in Commonwealth judo and setting the standard for generations to follow.  

Manchester 2002

At the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, Scotland’s female judoka delivered another impressive medal haul, showcasing depth across the weight categories. Jenni Brien secured silver in the -57kg division, while Sarah Clark added another silver in the -63kg category. Sarah Clark has since continued to shape the sport off the mat as CEO of Edinburgh Judo Club, previously serving on the JudoScotland Board and working as an athlete mentor with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. Through these roles, she has directly supported and guided the next generation of female judoka, ensuring that success on the mat manifests into opportunity off it. 

Bronze medals followed across the programme: Stephanie Hart in the +78kg category, Fiona Robertson in the -48kg division, Karen Cusack in the -52kg class, and Amanda Costello in the -70kg category. Together, their performances in Manchester marked another significant chapter in the growing legacy of Scottish judoka in the Commonwealth.  

Glasgow 2014

The Glasgow Games will forever be remembered within Scotland’s judo community as a moment in time of judo excellence, with 13 of a possible 14 medals secured, with all seven of the female judoka stepping onto a podium.   

Sarah Clark claimed gold in the -63kg category, completing a remarkable journey by upgrading the silver she had won 12 years earlier. Golden sisters Kimberley (-48kg) and Louise (-52kg) Renicks shared an impactful medal achievement that now sits alongside their work giving back to the sport through their club, Kanokwai Judo Club in their hometown, nurturing the next generation of judoka. Sarah Adlington added another gold in the +78kg division, underlining Scotland’s strength across the weight categories.  

The medal momentum continued with Stephanie Inglis taking silver in the -57kg, while Connie Ramsay earned bronze in the same division. Sally Conway secured bronze in the -70kg category, adding to a distinguished career that included representing Team GB at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where she claimed an Olympic bronze. Now a Head Coach with Sweden, Sally continues to influence the sport at international level, a fitting reflection of how Scotland’s female medalists continue to shape and elevate the pathway for young athletes long after their own Games have finished. 

Birmingham 2022

At the most recent Games in Birmingham in 2022, Sarah Adlington made history by securing her second gold medal, becoming the most decorated Scottish Commonwealth judoka ever. Her sustained success provides a visible role model for young female judoka in Scotland, showcasing what is possible through dedication and resilience.

Bronze medals from Malin Wilson in the -57kg division and Rachel Tytler in the -78kg category ensured Scotland’s presence across the podium once again. Rachel now extends her impact beyond competition, recently joining Great Athletes a social enterprise that brings elite sportspeople into primary schools to inspire young people.

Across every Games, our female judoka have done more than win medals, they have strengthened performance pathways, taken on leadership roles, mentored young athletes and invested their time and expertise back into the sport.

As we look ahead to Glasgow 2026 this summer, their legacy reminds us that success is not only measured on the podium or medals brought home, but in the opportunities created for the future generations of females in our sport.

A brief update from the JudoScotland Chair Marc Preston on activity in February. 

On 7th – 8th February I had the pleasure of taking my wife, Karen, to the Paris Grand Slam Judo Tournament. Due to some travel disruption, we made it just in time to watch the Saturday evening finals and what a moment it was. It was fantastic to see fellow Brit, Benjamin Levy beat the reigning World Champion on his way to claiming bronze in the -73kg category. A magnificent result where he beat some absolute top players on his way to his medal. Well done Ben!

I would like to thank Dr Lisa Allan, Secretary General at the International Judo Federation in Budapest, for her hospitality, and I am looking forward to catching up with her later in March.

On 10th February I flew down to London for our British Judo Board of Directors Meeting, where I presented Judith’s Home Nations report.

Then, on 14th February, we had our annual Scottish All Stars Championship. I went along to watch, and the general feeling was that it was very well organised. It is great to see young judoka enjoying themselves and having fun. And I had the chance to catch up with JudoScotland’s Head of Development, Tony Penfold.

Moving on to the 18th February, as Chair of JudoScotland, I was invited to the Emperor of Japan’s birthday celebrations which were being hosted at Edinburgh Academy by Mr Katsutoshi Takeda, the Consul General of Japan in Scotland. Also invited along to represent JudoScotland were our Honorary Vice-Presidents Rick Kenney and Jim Feenan. It was a very pleasant couple of hours and the sushi was magnificent!

On a personal basis, I had to update my coaching First Aid Credentials. And, on 22nd February I made my way along to the course at Titan Judo Club at Clydebank. A wonderful facility with the full-time tatami, café and weights area. I personally felt it was an excellent set-up, conducive to producing a good judo environment and would like to thank the club for hosting the event.

Due to the substantial workload that the organisation presently has, we had to add an extra online JudoScotland Board meeting on 24th February. I’d like to thank the Directors for giving up their valuable time. This was much appreciated.

March is already shaping up to be another busy month. And if any of you are coming along to the Grand Prix Event on 14th March – Hibari Kan – and would like a chat. I’ll be there!

Marc Preston, 7th Dan 

Following a successful recruitment process, JudoScotland is delighted to announce the appointment of Gordon Allan as the new National Technical Official Coordinator. 

The National Technical Official Coordinator (NTOC) supports, develops and recruits volunteer officials by delivering the officiating pathway and working closely with staff and volunteer groups to ensure a strong, well‑supported workforce for JudoScotland events. The NTCO role will work alongside JudoScotland’s Events and Coaching & Volunteering Managers as a member of the Event Workforce Working Group to continue to support the development of judo events in Scotland. 

Gordon’s journey in judo began as a parent when his daughter Katherine took up the sport aged seven. After feeling inspired by her progress, Gordon stepped onto the mat himself aged 52, reaching 4th Kyu and developing a lasting connection with the sport. While his daughter moved onto other sports, Gordon continued his involvement in judo through volunteering as a Technical Official.  

Gordon began officiating in 2016 after being encouraged to help at club rumbles, starting as a Timekeeper and since progressing to Senior Recorder. With over a decade of experience as a Technical Official, Gordon shared what he enjoys most about being involved in judo: 

“I enjoy catching up with other officials at events and some have become good friends of mine. It’s also my time away from the normal daily/weekly routine where I can switch off from work.” 

Gordon has volunteered at events of all levels, from local club competitions to the European Veteran Championships in Glasgow. His vast experience has given him a strong understanding of the pressures and responsibilities Technical Officials face, as well as the teamwork and professionalism required to deliver successful events, skills he believes will be invaluable in his newly appointed role: 

“I’ve worked with all sorts of people, so I understand the worries and frustrations that people may have, as I have probably had the same experiences over the years, so hopefully I will be able to help them through these concerns.” 

Looking ahead, Gordon is committed to creating a supportive community of Technical Officials in Scotland and hopes that this community can extend beyond the table: 

“I would like to have regular training events for both new and current officials, ensuring we have experienced people helping mentor new team members. I would like to have more social events, either face to face where possible or online.  

“I want to support organising pre-event briefings to ensure everyone is comfortable with what is happening at the event, and after event de-briefings to deal with any concerns or anything they feel that they need further training on.”  

JudoScotland cannot wait to see what Gordon brings to this new role and look forward to the continued growth and development of the Technical Official workforce under his leadership.  

Are you looking to take the next step in your communications career? JudoScotland is seeking a creative and enthusiastic Communications Officer to helpraise the profile of judo across Scotland as we move toward Glasgow 2026 and beyond. With over 9,000 members and more than 200 clubs, our organisation is growing, and in this role, you’ll play a key part in producing engaging content, supporting events and campaigns, and helping bring our vision of‘Judo For All’ to life.

As part of the Business Support Team, working through the Communications and Marketing Manager, you will deliver coordinated communications for our membership and wider stakeholders. You’ll collaborate closely with our Business Delivery and Performance Development Teams to support initiatives, projects and events before, during and after delivery. This includes athlete training sessions, event promotion, volunteer recruitment and a wide range of development activities.

You will play an active role in shaping the organisation’s communications and will have the opportunity to develop your skills in CMS management, email marketing, content creation and social media strategy.

If you’re passionate about digital storytelling, social media and working as part of a dynamic team, we’d love to hear from you.

Download or view the Application Pack below for more information: 

Are you looking to develop and expand your coaching career?

JudoScotland is seeking Performance Pathway Support Coaches to help deliver our Performance Programme and support the next generation of Scottish judoka.

In this role, you will deliver high‑quality technical sessions to identified pathway athletes, working in alignment with the JudoScotland Player Development Framework. As part of our coaching pool, you’ll contribute to scheduled JudoScotland sessions and provide hands‑on support to athletes at training camps and competitions, both domestically and internationally, under the guidance of the Head of Performance.

We are looking to appoint coaches in line with our ambition to expand our programme including delivery within our Regional Performance Hubs located in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact within the performance pathway and to our next generation of performance judoka.

Download or view the Application Pack below for more information: 

A brief update from the JudoScotland Chair Marc Preston on activity in January. 

And so, we’re into another year.

It started off on 9th January with a meeting involving Judith and myself plus our cohorts from the Judo Home Nations (Wales and Northern Ireland). We discussed how we can work more collaboratively going forward, with a view to becoming stronger as a collective. Personally, I think it’s very important that the Home Nations work together and that we build a strong relationship as we share many similar experiences and challenges.

On 14th January, Judith, Sandy and I visited the University of Stirling to meet with their Director of Sport, Cathy Gallagher. Having brought the Performance Programme in-house to JudoScotland, we have restarted work on a feasibility study for a national facility and will be looking at a number of options. I thoroughly enjoyed our meeting with Cathy who, as always, was super enthusiastic and positive.

Moving on we had another magnificent Scottish Open tournament on 17th and 18th January at Inverclyde – with over 485 competitors from 143 clubs across 14 countries. I’m always delighted to attend this event, and it was fantastic to catch up with so many players from the present and the past, including 19 Commonwealth Games medallists from 1990 to 2022!

Following the tournament, it was wonderful to see Alberto and the team host an international training camp. It’s always a good way to attract foreign interest where they can get a tournament and a top-class training session afterwards.

On 20th January I and Judith met up for lunch with Doc McKelvey, CEO of Scottish Gymnastics and Brian Ewing, their Chair. I imagine that this will become a more regular occurrence as both of our organisations experience very similar issues. We spent time swapping ideas/suggestions on how best to tackle them and not only was it a very productive couple of hours, it was exceptionally good fun with many funny stories!

On 27th January we had an online team meeting with British Judo and BJC. We were jointly looking at ways to work together for the benefit of judo. I came away from the meeting thinking that we’re actually very much aligned and I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to meet up.

In the evening, we had a JudoScotland Board meeting. It is vitally important that JS as an organisation doesn’t rely on any one individual and is able to operate if someone drops out and so, I had previously decided that it would be a good idea that our Vice Chair, Sandy Hodge lead the session. Sandy did an excellent job in chairing and facilitating the meeting.

And finally, for this month, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention that 3 Trainee Senior Examiners have now all been ratified as full BJA Senior Examiners. They have been working extremely hard over the last few years to get to this standard, and they are:-

• Colin Dunlop: 4th Dan, Carnegie Judo Club
• Gavin McNeill, 5th Dan, Edinburgh Judo
• Mark McCraw, 5th Dan, Edinburgh Judo

On a personal level, I have known Mark for many years and used to compete with him when we were junior. He was always a very strong competitor and tough to fight!

As 2026 takes shape, we’ve got the Commonwealth Games to look forward to in Glasgow. Let’s make 2026 even better than 2025!

Marc Preston, 7th Dan 

Today is Time to Talk Day,  the nation’s biggest mental health conversation, and a moment to listen, share, and open up about what really matters.

We visited Chat on The Mat, a brilliant initiative offering men (aged 18+) a space to build fitness, strengthen social connections, support their mental wellbeing, and enrich their daily lives.

Hear from its founder, Callum Woods, and some of the participants about the difference it’s making, and why taking time to talk is so important.

Entering its third year, applications for the 2026 JudoScotland Senpai Programme are now open.

We are seeking a new cohort of young people who are eager to get involved and take an active role in their club. The Senpai Programme is an initiative that has been designed to empower young people within judo clubs in Scotland and is delivered at no cost to the individual.

Providing young people with leadership opportunities early in life helps to set them up for long‑term success, opening the door to new possibilities and giving them the confidence to aim higher. The aim of the programme is to support our young members aged 16 –24 to learn new skills and gain greater confidence in themselves to take on new challenges both in and beyond the dojo.

During the programme participants will have the opportunity to attend educational workshops delivered by Scottish Sports Futures and Scottish Disability Sport. These workshops are designed to help Senpai participants develop skills to take on self-defined responsibilities and challenges within their club environments.

The Senpai Programme is all about developing young people through a hybrid of formal learning and collaboration with like-minded young people to support them through their projects and to develop a network of support around them.

Applicants are encouraged to think about a potential role or project they would like to undertake at their club which they will be supported with during their time on the programme.

JudoScotland Senpai Programme Lead, Sam Ingram said: “It’s very exciting to be entering our third year of the programme. Over the past two years we have seen 22 young people take part in the programme and you can really see the impact that it has had on their confidence and their involvement in judo.

“Individuals who were very reserved at the start of the programme have since grown in confidence. They have gone on to volunteer at events, undertake fundraising initiatives, take on roles that no one else in their club had the capacity to fulfil, or simply provide support during club sessions. It has been great to see their increased confidence and such positive personal transformations.

“If you are interested in playing a more active role in your judo club or in the wider judo community, we want to hear from you.”

The application period runs from Monday 2nd February to Monday 23rd February. Following the closing date, applications will be shortlisted by an internal JudoScotland panel and invited to attend an online interview.

Anyone who wishes to apply for the Senpai Programme should fill out the application form. It should take about 20-30 minutes to complete. Please head to the Senpai Programme webpage on the JudoScotland website for more information.

We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups, recognising the importance of different perspectives in shaping the next generation of young leaders. If you are having any issues completing the application, please contact Sam Ingram on samuelingram@judoscotland.com

Clyde Judo Club has become the first club in 2026 to achieve JudoMARK accreditation status since the scheme was updated in 2024.

The JudoMARK club accreditation scheme recognises clubs that are committed to upholding the highest standards in Safeguarding and Wellbeing, People Development, Club Management and Governance. As the national governing body for judo in Scotland, JudoScotland is dedicated to supporting affiliated clubs to further develop systems, processes and workforce by providing the guidance and resources needed to create safe, well-run environments where judo can thrive.

Reflecting on the process of obtaining JudoMARK status, Clyde Judo Club Secretary and Coach Paul Grady said:

“We had a bit of a headstart because we had done it before under the old scheme, however a lot of that was on pieces of paper so by taking some of that and using it as a template was useful. It was quite an involved process for a lot of people at the club.”

The biggest change for us was to actually have written documentation that is designed and written with what we do in mind and written for us, rather than just be a generic off-the-shelf policy. Having defined role descriptors for our Committee Members was a big deal and because we are also going through the process of making the club a registered charity, JudoMARK helped a lot with that process too as we had a lot of the paperwork now in place that we needed for that application.”

Becoming accredited is not only beneficial in establishing trust among members and parents, it also serves as a signpost to external stakeholders as a mark of the club’s commitment to ensuring everyone’s safety and professionalism. Paul highlighted this saying:

“It was important for us to do JudoMARK because although we had done it before, we are one of the bigger clubs in the area so it was important for us to have this in place and it’s a good marking tool for us. It aligns with what we want to do when it comes to engaging with the community sports hubs and Active Schools, it’s always good to go through processes like this because it highlights little things that maybe we didn’t have in place so it’s a worthwhile exercise to go through for that if nothing else.”

The JudoMARK accreditation scheme offers clubs a valuable opportunity to review and strengthen key aspects of their club infrastructure, ensuring these priorities remain central to day-to-day operations

The club was presented with their JudoMARK certification this week by Club Support Officer Sam Ingram. Speaking about the club’s journey to achieving JudoMARK status Sam said:

“Clyde Judo Club has been through a period of change over the past few months, most notably they have secured a new dojo after their last facility had to close at short notice. We are pleased to see that Clyde Judo have managed to overcome difficult circumstances and have continued to deliver judo to their members with little disruption, they have committed a lot of time and effort to the development of their club and achieving the JudoMARK accreditation is part of that.”

We hope to see more clubs in 2026 begin and complete the JudoMARK process as we continue to work together ensuring that judo clubs throughout the country are safe and welcoming environments where everyone can thrive and enjoy taking part in judo.”

To learn more about JudoMARK and to find out how your club can get involved click here.

Following the success of the Scottish Open at the weekend, it was brilliant to welcome international judoka to the National Training Centre for three days of training and collaboration.  

Judoka from Canada, Japan, Greece and the Home Nations spent three days at the National Training Centre, taking part in a range of judo sessions and training exercises that provided valuable international experience on home soil. 

The Canadian National Team Coach, Kouga Kagei highlighted the benefits to taking part in the camp following the tournament:  

“The biggest benefit is the opportunity to reflect and improve immediately after a competition. Our athletes were able to work on the areas they identified during their matches, especially grip fighting, transitions, and tactical decision-making. 

“Training with international athletes also gave them new perspectives and confidence. For the team, it strengthened our unity and focus moving forward.” 

Reflecting on the key learnings from the camp, Canadian judoka Maxine Maruyama Prasard said: “I enjoyed the camp because I got to fight and train with people who are at a higher level of judo than me but were in my weight class. It’s hard sometimes to have a lot of girls who are in the –48kg and –52kg categories back in Canda so it was good for me to challenge myself.” 

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the Performance Programme aims to continue supporting Scottish judoka while strengthening how we work with the wider judo community to prepare athletes for progression onto the GB World Class Performance Programme. 

Speaking about the training sessions, Alberto Borin, JudoScotland Head of Performance said:  

“It’s always great to have international judoka in the National Training Centre and we hope to continue to create these opportunities for Scottish judoka throughout the year. 

“Training camps provide a great opportunity for athletes to train with different partners, learn from each other and expand their learning.”