5 Biggest Judo Events in the UK for Children

As you would expect for a sport as popular as Judo, there are numerous events held throughout the year across the United Kingdom. These tournaments give young people the chance to pit their skills against others from a bit further afield than they normally have the chance to. The chance to learn from and compete with new people can be thrilling and new friendships and healthy rivalries can be forged. 

Sometimes being defeated in a competition by another young person that they only see once a year can spur children on to push themselves to learn more and advance faster, in the hope that when next they meet they will have improved enough to win. This is a healthy form of rivalry and will help your child in their martial arts career.   

We have listed the top five Judo events in the UK for children below. 

British Minors Championship

This is a tournament aimed specifically at children and in September 2022 it was held in Surrey - the date for 2023 is yet to be confirmed. The minimum requirement for entry is the 7th Mon grading and there are different age bandings in order to ensure the fairest possible match ups. This is a great chance for kids to meet their peers who share their interest in Judo and to make some friends from all around the country.  

London Open Judo Championships

The London Open takes place in May and has many different sections including those for the Juniors and Cadet levels. The term Cadet in Judo refers to those under 18 years of age and all of the matches are age banded so that no student is taking on those who they are massively physically outmatched by. 

There are also adults competing in these championships and it is a good chance for the children to watch a wide range of people with differing ability levels and styles of Judo competing with and learning from each other. 

Regional British Schools Championships

The regional British schools championships are a series of events that take place all over the UK. They have a number of different competitions based in the different English regions and Wales and they are open to children of school age who live within the regions where the competitions take place. Some schools have their own Judo clubs and these are well represented at the regional school championships.  

British Schools Adaptive and Visually Impaired Championships

Emphasising the inclusive nature of Judo, the adaptive and visually impaired championships allows school age children to practise their Judo against others with similar visual or physical impairments. Efforts are made to ensure that all matches are evenly matched and they are banded by age and ability. 

British Junior and Senior Championships

Held in December of each year, this is another mixed-age tournament where young people can watch the seniors in action and try to pick up tips and ideas about the techniques used. The children’s competitions are once again banded by age and ability so that the tournaments are as evenly matched, challenging and enjoyable as possible. 

Photo by Artem Podrez