‘Unreal’ Commonwealth Games experience for Rabet

Jersey’s Steven Rabet says competing in judo at the 2026 Commonwealth Games has been “unreal”.

Rabet, 20, lost to reigning Commonwealth Games champion Georgios Balarjishvili from Cyprus in his opening bout in the under 66kg class.

Balarjishvili, who is ranked 38th in the world and has competed at four World Championships, took just 41 seconds to beat the islander.

He threw Rabet for a first waza-ari after 15 seconds before getting a second moments later.

Rabet was the first judoka to represent Jersey since Chay Pike in 1990.

The Scot – who qualified via his Jersey-born grandfather – competed at the under 66kg class at the Junior European Cup in Lithuania in April and is ranked fourth in the British under-20 rankings.

“The experience was unreal,” he told BBC Jersey.

“Just being in a home Games, still being from Scotland, it’s unbelievable.

“I had the crowd fully cheering my name, everyone backing me, it was amazing.

“Being at home, representing my granddad, it’s just everything for me. It’s the best of both worlds.”