JUDO: Charlton’s Olympic silver medallist Gemma Gibbons will be looking to add a medal to her collection later this month at the world judo championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The Greenwich born judoka, who also won a silver at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, will compete at -78kg in Astana as part of a nine strong selected by British Judo.

Having won gold in the Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix last month, she is looking forward to competing in the world championships between August 24 and 29.

Gibbons said: “I’m really happy to be selected.

“The world championships are obviously one of the biggest levels you can perform on.

“After the Olympic Games it is the biggest level you can perform on, so it’s really exciting.

“It’s the last major championships before the Olympics in Rio next year, so it’ll be a good indicator to how our team’s doing.

“It will be good to get out there and get stuck in.”

And with the World Championships coming less than a year from the Rio Olympics, Gibbons knows how important it will be for the British team to lay down a marker.

She added: “It’s not the be all and end all if we go there and we don’t end up on the podium.

“It doesn’t mean we’re not going to end up on the podium in Rio, definitely not.

“But also if we do end up on the podium, it does show that we are of the level and that we definitely can produce those same performances in Rio.

“So in that sense the world championships is a big deal and it will be great to get more than a few of us on the podium.”

CRICKET: Bromley-born Kent Cricket Academy scholar Zak Crawley has been selected the London & east regional squad of the England Development Programme (EDP).

The 17-year-old right-hander is in the EDP, which features the most promising teenage cricketers from four regions across the country to play in a Super 4s tournament.

Crawley hit his first century for the second XI against Somerset at Taunton Vale last month after scoring 50s against Middlesex and Gloucestershire.

High performance director Simon Willis said: “We’re delighted Zak has been recognised by the England selectors after three productive years at the Academy.

“He’s a very talented young batsman who we hope can continue to work hard and follow in the footsteps of several first team graduates.”