Defending champion Skelley targets Paralympic repeat

Reigning Paralympic judo champion Chris Skelley will person nan chance to bid for different title successful Paris aft being included successful a three-strong Great Britain squad for nan Games.

The 31-year-old won GB's first Paralympic judo golden erstwhile he triumphed successful nan -100kg section successful Tokyo 3 years ago.

Classification changes wrong nan athletics since past mean he will compete successful his 3rd Games successful nan J2+90kg arena successful France.

"It's specified a immense honour," said Skelley, who won metallic astatine nan 2023 European Championships successful Rotterdam.

"It intends everything to maine to beryllium capable to propulsion connected nan judo overgarment and measurement connected that mat to springiness my champion capacity for my country, my family, my friends, my coach and everyone that has supported maine complete nan years."

Judo astatine nan Paralympics is exclusively for athletes pinch a ocular impairment, pinch nan rules nan aforesaid arsenic successful Olympic judo, isolated from that nan 2 fighters commencement gripped up.

Skelley will beryllium joined by Daniel Powell, who will besides beryllium competing astatine his 3rd Games, and debutant Evan Molloy, pinch title moving astatine nan Champ-de-Mars Arena from 5-7 September.

Powell vanished seventh connected his Games judo debut astatine London 2012 and again successful Tokyo. He besides had a little spell arsenic portion of nan British Rowing set-up.

Since returning to judo, nan 33-year-old has won World Championship and European metallic medals successful his J1 -90kg class this rhythm and is classed 3rd successful nan world.

Molloy, from Devizes, was a training partner astatine nan Tokyo Games, but nan 25-year-old will now make his debut successful nan J2 -90kg class successful Paris aft winning bronze astatine nan 2023 Europeans.