The Paris Grand Slam, which takes place on February 4 and 5 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest spectacles in the sport, is the highest points scoring event before the Olympic Games and this year has attracted over 700 judoka to the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy.

Further Grand Slams are staged in Moscow, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo with 300 world ranking list points available to gold medallists, 180 for silver and 120 for bronze.

Sophie Cox, the reigning European bronze medallist, will compete in the -52kg category, while fellow British Closed Championships winner Sarah Clark takes to the tatami at -57kg.

Karina Bryant, who missed the British Closed Championships through injury, returns to tackle the +78kg category alongside fellow heavyweight Sarah Adlington who took gold in Sheffield.

Ashley McKenzie took bronze at the British Closed Championships and will look for another place on the medal rostrum in the -60kg category.

Colin Oates, the reigning European bronze medallist, competes at -66kg while Masters bronze medallist and Burton – like Oates, a British Closed Champion – returns to the -81kg category.

British Judo's performance operations manager Karen Roberts said: "The team have had a fantastic preparation, with three domestic randori camps, international randori at the Olympic Training Camp in Mittersill, Austria as well as competing at the British Closed Championships.

"The Paris Grand Slam marks the start of the 'home straight' for the Games, it's a very exciting time for the players themselves but also every member of the BJA who have supported them every step of the way."

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