Not Every Hero Wears a Cape
In Bacău, a modest city in eastern Romania, heroism does not arrive with noise or recognition. It does not wear medals, nor does it seek applause. It wakes up at five in the morning, cooks for a house full of children, checks school attendance, pours concrete at a construction site, ties judo belts, listens, argues, forgives and begins again.
Category: judo Page 2 of 5
Winning, Losing and Learning to Move Forward
Sporting competition, and even more so elite sport, is a powerful generator of emotions. It is intrinsically linked to two inseparable notions: victory and defeat. One never exists without the other. When a judoka steps onto the tatami, they know that after a few minutes of combat there will inevitably be someone celebrating and someone leaving the contest area carrying the weight of disappointment.
From World Champions to Honoured Guests, the Whole Judo Family Wins
Fourteen incredible judoka have been crowned in Budapest, 14 world champions among medalists from 20 countries. Japan topped the table with 6 gold medals, 4 silvers and 4 bronzes but it was a diverse and spectacular tournament.
Judo in Schools: Namibia’s First Sho Dan Judoka
Judo is developing in Namibia in Southern Africa at a steady pace. The IJF Judo in Schools programme has been running very successfully for several years under the guidance of IJF coach Stompie Matthyser, a Kodokan 5th dan.