London 2012 bronze medallist Dartanyon Crockett is among those due to compete at the Visually Impaired Judo Grand Prix in Walsall ©Mike Varey/elitepix

Walsall in Britain is set to play host to a Visually Impaired Judo Grand Prix this weekend with the world’s best expected to compete in the final event ahead of this year's Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

Visually impaired judokas from 18 countries will be participating in the two-day competition, scheduled to begin tomorrow at the University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall Campus Sports Complex.

The women’s 52 kilograms category appears particularly strong with four of the world’s top five due to make an appearance.

Canada's world number four Priscilla Gagne will be among those competing, while 2014 world silver medallist Ramona Brussig of Germany will also be stepping onto the mat.

Among the competitors in the women’s under 48kg category is Brussig’s sister Carmen, the world number one and 2015 World Games champion.

In the women’s under 57kg competition, South Korea’s Ha Na Seo will be aiming to match her form from last year when she won gold medals at the World Games and the World Cup in Hungary.

Russia have entered a number of their best judokas for the tournament, including 2015 European champions Vitalii Koriakin and Abdula Kuramagomedov, who will be competing in the under 60kg and under 100kg categories respectively.

Kuramagomedov, who beat Great Britain’s Chris Skelley on his way to claiming the European title, also won a gold medal at the 2014 World Championships in Colorado.

Germany's world silver medallist Ramona Brussig will be competing in the women's under 52kg category in Walsall as she continues her preparations for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
Germany's world silver medallist Ramona Brussig will be competing in the women's under 52kg category in Walsall as she continues her preparations for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Paralympic bronze medallist Dartanyon Crockett of the United States is another reigning world champion in action as he looks to earn revenge over Britain’s Sam Ingram, who beat him in the quarter-finals at London 2012.

France’s Cyril Jonard, the world number two at under 81kg, will be another name to watch as the highest-ranked player in his weight.

Brazil's Wilians Araujo, the world number one at over 100kg, is looking to test himself against young rival and home judoka Jack Hodgson once again.

The 18 competing nations are Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Uruguay and the US.

Tomorrow’s action is due to feature the men’s under 60kg, under 66kg, under 73kg and under 81kg categories, and the women’s under 70kg and over 70kg classes.

On Sunday (June 5), attention turns to the men’s under 90kg, under 100kg, over 100kg categories as well as the women’s under 48kg, under 52kg, under 57kg and under 63kg classes.