Monthly Club Round Up (July & August '26)
- EdinburghJudo
- 20 hours ago
- 7 min read
Buckle up for a super‑sized monthly round‑up, packed with all the action from an incredible summer of competitions, training camps, and of course, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games!
To start off the summer with a bang, both Alban (-66kg) and Nicco (-100kg) took part in the British Team Championships down in Wolverhampton, representing Scotland on the tatami.
This event brings together teams from across the home nations, and is a highlight of the competitive calendar for many, due to the event’s high energy and the camaraderie between all of the teams.
Alban competed as part of the cadet/junior team who secured a silver medal, and Nicco as part of the senior team who took bronze - well done boys!
Some of our performance squad players kicked off their summer with a tough week long training camp out in the mountains of Clermont-Ferrand, France.
The team took part in four hours of judo split across two sessions per day, morning conditioning training, and a bit of pool time in the afternoon to cool off in the 36°C heat. They also got to take in the sights of Paris on their final day in France, before heading home to much cooler weather!
It was a highly valuable trip, particularly for our younger players who are experiencing their first international camp, with plenty of quality randori and technical judo to take back home. Thank you to Jean-Pierre and the Ligue Aura Judo team for welcoming us, and for your hospitality throughout the camp, we look forward to returning next year!
Meanwhile at a camp closer to home, Nick and Evan had a blast delivering judo-for-rugby sessions at Raeburn Place as part of Edinburgh Accies' summer camp!
Fantastic to work with such an enthusiastic group of youngsters, who got stuck right into the sessions, and to continue our partnership with Edinburgh Accies.
As excitement for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games began to ramp up, EdinburghJudo and Team Scotland athletes Sarah, Scott, Eva, alongside their fellow Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games teammates, were part of celebrations that welcomed the King’s Baton Relay to the JudoScotland National Training centre as part of its journey to Glasgow.
It was a wonderful morning for the judo community to come together to show support for the team, and great to see club member Cici meet the Team Scotland judoka and she even got involved in some fitness challenges versus the athletes too!
Keeping up the momentum throughout July, nine EdinburghJudo members travelled down to South Shields for a competitive Dan grading at Kodokwai Judo Club.
Well done to everyone who showed the courage and determination to compete, and for taking another step closer towards your next grade. Plenty of good judo on display, and more experience earned to take forward into your development.
A huge congratulations to Archie who gained the last of his points towards his 2nd Dan, and to Fergus who smashed his line up, winning his first contest with a spectacular throw, then his second and third with clinical shime-waza, to achieve his 1st Dan and become EdinburghJudo’s newest black belt!
Starting judo age 4 and now 16 years old, Fergus has worked extremely hard to earn his black belt. This is the result of turning up to every session and putting in maximum effort, plus doing the right things in and around his training.
Over the years, all of his club coaches have noticed Fergus’ quiet determination, resilience and desire to get something right, all while remaining calm on the outside. He is a great person both on and off the mat, who can now proudly wear his black belt alongside his dad Mark, and we wish Fergus the best for his next steps in judo - congratulations!
Of course, the most anticipated event of the year took place this summer: the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. We had three representatives from the club selected for Team Scotland who competed at the Games: Eva Ewing, Scott Cusack and Sarah Adlington.
To kick off an incredible nine days of sport, Sarah Adlington and Alex Marshall MBE, were selected by their teammates to be the King’s Baton Bearer and Flag Bearer to lead Scotland into the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. It was incredible seeing Sarah, Scott and Eva walk into the Hydro alongside their fellow Team Scotland athletes, all kitted out in their custom kilts!
Having the experience of representing your country, taking to the stage with your fellow competitors and hearing the crowd cheering from the stands is the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifices and dedication, and a memory that you’ll never forget. A very proud moment for family, friends, coaches and club mates too.
The judo competition took place across three days at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, with Eva, Scott and Sarah competing over each of the three days. On the first day of competition, Eva took to the mat in the -48kg category, where she displayed an excellent performance at her debut Games. By showing great determination and composure to battle through her repechage contest, Eva made it to the final block and came away with a 5th place finish - well done, Eva!
Day two at the Games saw Scott step onto the tatami in the -90kg category. Despite injuring his knee in his first contest whilst throwing his opponent for ippon, and almost bringing his Commonwealth campaign to an early close, Scott came back focused and determined to secure a bronze medal, which he successfully did so after a tense bout of golden score in the final block.
A truly proud moment for club members, family and friends, and a fantastic achievement for Scott. You can read more about Scott's Commonwealth journey by clicking the button below:
The third and final day of competition marked Sarah’s last time stepping onto the competitive mat. It wasn’t the fairytale ending she had hoped for, but the moment she bowed out in front of a home crowd to a standing ovation was something truly special. It’s the kind of send‑off most athletes dream of, and one that very few ever get to experience, that reflects the admiration for her competitive career that spanned over two decades.
A career is made of more than just medals; it’s a lifetime of dedication, sacrifices, perseverance, the highs and lows and everything in between, but most importantly, it’s the lifelong memories that come with it.
Everyone at EdinburghJudo is incredibly proud of Sarah and her journey throughout the years, and we look forward to supporting her in all that comes next. You can read more about her inspiring career by clicking the button below:
It wasn't just competing on the tatami where EdinburghJudo members took part in the Games. Behind every multi‑sport event is a dedicated team of volunteers who keep everything running smoothly for athletes, coaches, team staff, and spectators. At the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Karen and Kirsty were part of an exceptional group of volunteers whose hard work and enthusiasm helped make the judo competition at the SEC Centre such a success.
14 years after at winning a bronze medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Karen was on the other side of the tatami as part of the Field of Play team, ensuring athletes and medallists got to where they needed to be in time with strict broadcasting schedules.
Kirsty was matside as an IJF CARE System Camera Operator, capturing all the action on video as it happened to aid the referee's decision-making, and improve the fairness of matches. A great experience that will add to her growing skillset within her own refereeing journey.
By volunteering in these roles, Karen and Kirsty embodied the spirit of judo and the importance of giving back to the sport, all while gaining new experiences and lifelong memories - great work!
It was also fantastic to see so many EdinburghJudo members proudly cheering from the stands at the SECC, and just as many of you showing your support for Eva, Scott and Sarah from home.
Events like the Commonwealth Games are so much more than just a judo competition. They’re a chance to create lifelong memories, celebrate incredible moments together, and share the experience with the fantastic people who make our wonderful community at EdinburghJudo what it is. Thank you to everyone who was part of Eva, Scott and Sarah's journey to Glasgow, and for making it a Games to remember!
Winning a Commonwealth Games medal wasn't the only major life event on Scott's agenda this summer, as just twelve days after winning his bronze medal, Scott tied the knot with Emily at their beautiful wedding ceremony in front of family and friends. Two major milestones in two weeks and even more to celebrate. Congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Cusack!
With the Games over and done with, things were back in full swing at the club as we headed into August and the new school term. It's been great to see everyone back on the mats, full of excitement and ready to learn, develop and challenge themselves in class.
More success was to be celebrated, as EdinburghJudo member Mark McCraw was presented with his 6th Dan by Richard Kenney, 8th Dan, OBE.
Mark started his judo journey at the Edinburgh Club 50 years ago, when he was just eight years old, and was coached by George Kerr OBE, 10th Dan. Mark competed at every Scottish and British Championships from 1985 to 2002, with one of his highlights being winning the Scottish National Championships in 1994. He then went on to win medals at the Combined Services and Royal Navy Championships.
After 50 years in the sport, Mark thoroughly deserves the prestigious grade of 6th Dan, which means he can now wear the coveted red and white belt - a huge congratulations to Mark from everyone at EdinburghJudo!
Back in May, EdinburghJudo member Mark Wilson and a group from the Scottish Veterans community took a trip to Japan to sightsee and train in the home of judo.
He’s shared with us the full story of his experience, which you can read by clicking the button below:
As we head into September, we look forward to welcoming a new group into another edition of our highly popular adults beginners judo course!
There are still a few places left available on the course, so if you or someone you know is thinking about trying judo, or maybe just wants to get fitter whilst meeting new likeminded people, then make sure to book a place by clicking the button below:
If you've made it all the way to the end - see you in the next round-up!
The EdinburghJudo Team ⛩️
