Gemma Howell is aiming for glory in Tokyo
In-form Gemma Howell hopes to continue her fine spell of success at the World Judo Championships in Tokyo tomorrow.
The Wolverhampton Judo Club judoka has just won back-to-back IJF titles for the first time in her career, prevailing in Budapest and Zagreb.
The London 2012 Olympian is flourishing in the under-70kg category and is locked in a fascinating battle with Olympic bronze medallist Sally Conway for the one GB spot available at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Howell finished seventh on her World Championship debut in 2010 – also in Tokyo – and the 29-year-old World No.15 is seen as a dark horse to be among the medals.
“My personal best was seventh and that was in Japan so hopefully I can better that,” she said. “Anything can happen on the day and, especially in the 70s, the people that are winning the medals changes all the time.
“Obviously I want to be one of those people but we’ll have to see what happens.
“I’d love to win it but I’d be happy with a World Championship medal, that’s something I haven’t got in my weight category at the moment.
“I’m just going to try to put in my best performance on the day.”
Two-time and defending world champion Arai Chizuru starts as the favourite on home soil in Japan. She has won both editions of the Worlds since being overlooked for a place at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
