Team England Judo has confirmed the three coaches who will lead the nation’s judoka at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - a highly anticipated milestone on Judo's performance calendar.

The coaching team will consist of Luke Preston, Jason Parsons and Pete Douglas completing the trio who will guide England’s athletes onto the tatami next summer. Their appointment marks a significant step in the nation’s preparations for the Games, staged as part of the wider Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow.

Preston, a highly respected Coach in British Judo and a former international competitor, shared his excitement at being entrusted with the role after performing a similar role in Birmingham in 2022:

“I am very proud and honoured to be chosen as lead coach for Team England. Being part of a Commonwealth Games is an amazing experience and brings with it a lifetime of great memories for athletes, staff, family members and fans. I am really excited to support our Team England judoka as they go for gold at Glasgow 2026.”

Parsons is the current England Talent Development Coach, and while his day-to-day role involves progressing athletes through British Judo’s Athlete Pathway, he is excited to be stepping up into a Games role:

“I am honoured to be part of the coaching team for England Judo at the Commonwealth Games. It has historically been a great event for us and I look forward to continuing that next year.”

Douglas expressed his pride and enthusiasm at joining the national coaching team for such a major international event:

“I feel so chuffed and honoured to be selected to become part of the England Judo coaching team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I can't wait to start working with the team of players and their coaches.”

Jenny Close, Team Leader for Team England Judo, expressed her confidence in the newly appointed coaches:

“On behalf of Team England Judo, I’m delighted to confirm the appointments of Luke, Jason and Pete as our Commonwealth Games coaches. Each brings exceptional expertise, professionalism and passion to our programme, and their leadership will play a vital role in supporting our athletes to perform at their very best on the Games stage. We’re proud to have them on the team and excited for what we can achieve together.”

With a blend of experience, passion and proven leadership, the newly appointed coaching team is poised to guide England’s judoka through a strong preparation phase toward a successful Games. As the countdown to 2026 continues, optimism is high within the programme that the team can deliver on one of the sport’s biggest international stages.