The Scottish Open Judo Tournament takes place this weekend, 17th & 18th of January, marking the start of JudoScotland’s 2026 competition calendar and an exciting year for Scottish Sport.
The event returns to sportscotland National Centre, Inverclyde for an exciting weekend of international judo. The event will see over 700 competitors take to the mat from over 16 nations, including Japan, the USA, Germany, France and the Home Nations.
The weekend begins with the Veterans and Adapted & VI categories. Following the success of last year’s Adapted & VI categories, we are excited for them to return this year and see which judoka will be defending their titles.
European Champion Rebecca Lamb from Clyde will compete in the Adaptive Female L1 –52kg, whilst Castle Douglas Judo Clubs Sean Allan (-73 kg Adaptive Male L2) will also be competing following a successful 2025 season which included a gold medal win at the European Judo Union Gdansk Get Together Tournament.
European Champion Rebecca Lamb from Clyde will compete in the Adaptive Female L1 –52kg, whilst Castle Douglas Judo Clubs Sean Allan (-73 kg Adaptive Male L2) will also be competing following a successful 2025 season which included a gold medal win at the European Judo Union Gdansk Get Together Tournament.
In the Veterans category, Scottish judoka James McKelvie (M7 +100kg) of Boglestone Judo Club and Frazer McBeath (M1–M2 –100kg) from Alness Judo Club will take to the tatami. Both athletes return to competition following impressive performances at the Paris World Veterans Championships in November, where they secured 5th and 7th place finishes respectively.
In the afternoon, Cadets will step onto the tatami in pursuit of the Scottish Open Championship title. Among the competitors is Lois Goldie (Pro Judo), the 2025 sportscotland Young Sportswoman of the Year, who will contest the +70kg category following her bronze medal at the British Championships in December. She will be joined by fellow Scottish cadet Tabitha Callaghan of Judo Club Esprit (-40kg), who is fresh of her gold medal success at the British Championships last month.
On Sunday, it’s the turn of Juniors and Seniors. With the Commonwealth Games returning to Glasgow this summer, the Scottish Open offers a final chance for our judoka to compete against international competition on home soil.
European Cadet Championship bronze medallist Coen Gilbert (-60kg) continues his transition to the Junior ranks after an impressive bronze medal finish in the Junior category at the British Championships in December. Fellow –60kg judoka Joe Buchanan will also be aiming for the title after claiming the British Championship crown in December.
With Glasgow 2026 just around the corner, the Senior category at the Scottish Open promises world-class action, featuring six of the 14 Scottish judoka who have met a minimum standard for selection.
Leading the charge is Summer Shaw (-48kg – Camberley Judo Club), fresh from a bronze medal at the Tallinn European Open in July. She’ll be joined by Sunny Doig (-63kg – Just-Judo Yoshin), who demonstrated her strength with a podium finish at the Montreal Pan-American Open, and Nicole Wood (-78kg – Bishops Stortford Judokwai), stepping up from junior success after claiming silver and bronze at European Cups. Neil MacDonald (-66kg), will return to fight on home soil after becoming an African Open gold medallist in 2025. In the -100kg division, rising talents Kevin Gordon (Hibari Kan Judo Club) and Jaden Calder (Judo Club Esprit), both international medal winners, are set to battle for supremacy. With such depth and diversity, this year’s senior category promises thrilling contests and a glimpse of future Commonwealth Games stars.
Judith McCleary, JudoScotland CEO said: “We are pleased to open 2026 by hosting our flagship international event, welcoming judoka from across the globe to compete in Scotland. The Scottish Open is more than a competition, it’s a celebration of judo excellence on home soil. With Glasgow 2026 just around the corner, this weekend’s energy will set the tone for an unforgettable year of Scottish judo.”
The Scottish Open will take place this weekend on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th January at the sportscotland National Centre, Inverclyde. Click here for more information about the event.