Guangzhou will host the next four editions of the World Judo Masters, it has been announced ©IJF

Guangzhou will host the next four editions of the World Judo Masters, it has been announced.

The International Judo Federation confirmed the prestigious event will be staged in the Chinese city this year and in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

Only the top-16 ranked judoka in each weight category earn an invitation to the Masters, which guarantees a top-class field.

The event finishes the season and offers the most ranking points outside of the World Championships.

A gold medal results in 1,800 points with silver worth 1,260 and bronze 900.

The news is seen as a boost to Chinese judo ©Getty Images
The news is seen as a boost to Chinese judo ©Getty Images

China Judo Association President Xian Dongmei, who won Olympic gold at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 in the women's under-52 kilograms division, said: "In March 2018 we had a meeting with the IJF President Marius Vizer in Budapest and we said that the China Judo Association would like to host more top-level judo events.

"We will stage this special event in Guangzhou because we have a vast country and our Grand Prix in Hohhot is in the north so we needed an event in the south.

"Guangzhou is a highly-developed city with a good structure and transport links and we hope to host a very successful series of Masters events that can help us to learn and develop as an Association."

The Masters was held in Russian city Saint Petersburg last year.

The competition will not be staged in 2020 as this is an Olympic year.