Opportunity knocks for Shropshire judo ace Gemma Howell next month – with the chance to compete for serious prizemoney.

The 18-year-old will be heading for France to take part in the Paris Open, a tournament offering 5,000 euros to the winner. There’s also 3,000 euros for the runner-up and 1,500 euros for finishing with bronze.

Some of the top judo players from around the world will line up against the Telford teenager, but he coach Bill Kelly is backing her to make an impression.

“It will be as hard a senior world cup event because a lot of the top players from Japan will be there,” said Kelly, who is based at Wolverhampton Judo Club.

“I think it’s a good thing for her to go and see it – I don’t expect her to finish in the medals, though you never know with Gemma.

“We’re mainly looking for the experience and exposing her to the higher level of the seniors.”

The trip to Paris comes at the end of a busy period on the judo calendar, with Howell also booked to fly to Bulgaria on the weekend of January 24 and 25 to compete in a senior “A” tournament.

Howell won bronze at the junior world championships in 2008 and Kelly is also looking for her to build on that later in the year.

“We’re looking to capitalise on what she’s done at junior level  and go for a higher medal this year,” he said.

“I’d also like to see her go to the senior worlds because it would be nice to expose her to that.

“She’s doing well and by 2012 she should be at the right age to be in the field for the Olympics. That is the long-term goal.”

In the meantime, Howell has more international commitments in the pipeline – alongside fellow Telford competitor Kelly Edwards.

The two women have just returned from a training camp with the Great Britain  cadet squad at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

They will also be returning to Sheffield this weekend for the junior trials, and seeking to retain their places on the GB junior squad.

Those junior trials have attracted a bumper field, forcing the British Judo Association to abandon its usual pool system in favour of a compound knockout structure that will guarantee each player at least two contests.