The 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championships will take place at the University of Wolverhampton in England ©British Judo

The 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championships will take place at the University of Wolverhampton in England, it has been announced.

The British Judo Association (BJA), which also has its Centre of Excellence based at the University's Walsall campus, won the bidding process for the five-day event.

Competition is due to run from September 25 to 29 and will be delivered in partnership with Walsall Council.

It will feature a broad range of categories, including juniors, seniors, veterans and visually impaired, with more than 1,000 athletes expected to compete.

Judo will become a core sport in the Commonwealth Games from 2022 with that edition being hosted in another English city, Birmingham, which is less than 20 miles from Wolverhampton.

"This is the first time that the Commonwealth Judo Championships have been held in England since the first Championships took place in 1986 and I am sure that the British Judo Association will deliver a great event that will be enjoyed by athletes and spectators alike," Rick Kenney, President of the Commonwealth Judo Association said.

"The British Judo Association has organised a number of high-quality international competitions in recent years and we look forward to a wide range of Commonwealth judo nations taking part and enjoying the experience and hospitality of Walsall."

Commonwealth and Olympic bronze medallist Sally Conway is among Great Britain's leading judoka ©IJF
Commonwealth and Olympic bronze medallist Sally Conway is among Great Britain's leading judoka ©IJF

The event will add to the growing list of top-level world and European judo competitions to be hosted in Great Britain in the 2017-to-2020 Olympic and Paralympic cycle.

Notable events already held include the 2017 International Blind Sports Federation European Championships at the University of Wolverhampton as well as the 2018 European Veteran Championships and the 2018 European Open, both in Glasgow.

BJA chairman Ronnie Saez added: "I think it's a fantastic opportunity for British judoka to become involved in a top-quality event.

"Hopefully we’ll put on a fantastic event and leave a legacy for all home country judoka to follow.

"It promises to be a very big event and we take our obligations very seriously.

"We prepare scrupulously.

"We have got a good track record in delivering EJU (European Judo Union) events over the past three to four years and we have a very well-trained volunteer work force, which will help us to put on a championship of the required standard."