English Judo Blogs

Germany topped the medal table on Saturday, the opening day of the European Open in Sarajevo, with two gold and two bronze medals. Great Britain followed closely with two gold medals as Michael Fryer and Lucy Renshall both triumphed in their finals. Two well-matched athletes met in the women’s -63kg final, with a tactical opening four minutes between France’s Gaetane Deberdt and Great Britain’s Lucy Renshall. Deberdt, the most successful athlete competing in Sarajevo with four previous Eu... Read more

Jano Ruebo claimed a gold medal for Germany in his weight class -73kg. It was not the only gold medal for Germany on the first day of the European Open in Sarajevo, as Sarah Mehlau also captured gold in the women’s division -70kg. Mateja Stosic of Serbia fought Ruebo in the men’s -73kg final, and it looked like the contest was heading for golden score, but Ruebo perfectly timed a shoulder throw and caught Stosic cleanly. The Serbian had been pressing forward, and Ruebo stayed patient to s... Read more

Lucy Renshall is determined to stage the perfect comeback. At the European Open in Sarajevo, the British is planning to celebrate her comeback with a gold medal. The British Olympian, who suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the Paris Games despite holding the world number one ranking for much of her career in the -63kg category, is back in action after a challenging spell filled with setbacks. Yet she remains one of the most decorated and experienced judoka in the field this weekend... Read more

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital is ready once again to welcome the European Judo Tour. Sarajevo hosts the European Open for the fifth time, confirming its place as one of the most reliable venues on the circuit. The city’s passion for judo is well known, and the event adds another chapter to a rich sporting tradition that has seen major competitions across all levels, from cadets to world championships. Read more

The Koka Kids Judo Book of the Month for September was “Learn Groundwork and Master Read more The post Book of the Month: Learn Groundwork and Master 20 Turnovers appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

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The European Open in Sarajevo is part of a long tradition of high-level judo tournaments held in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over the years, the nation has hosted events across every age group, all the way up to world-level competitions. Sarajevo, known for its warm hospitality, welcomes the European Open for the fifth time, marking the sixth edition of the European Open series this year. The tournament has seen some great champions in the past, including World Champion Loic Pietri and local ... Read more

What used to be the Cadet European Cup in Koper now finds a new home in Kranjska Gora where a new chapter of rising talent will be written this weekend. The small Slovenian town near the Austrian border is ready to welcome Europe’s best U18 athletes for a weekend full of potential and new stories. More than 400 young athletes will take to the tatami, eager to show their skills and challenge a strong Slovenian team on home soil. Over fifteen percent of the competitors come from Slovenia, whil... Read more

The Irish Judo Association is proud to announce the release of the Irish Judo Association Performance Plan & Strategic Overview 2025–32 , now available on our Performance Page . This new plan outlines a clear vision for the future of Irish Judo — strengthening our pathways, governance, and support structures to ensure sustained athlete development and success on the international stage. Our approach builds upon the strong foundations already in place and reflects our commitment to continued c... Read more

The Irish Judo Association is pleased to share the Points and Wins results from the Leinster Open Championships 2025 , which took place on Sunday, 12th October 2025 . This exciting event brought together judoka from across the province for a day of skill, determination, and sportsmanship. Congratulations to all athletes who participated and to those who earned ranking points and wins on the day. A special thank you to the Leinster Judo Council , referees, officials, and volunteers for their c... Read more

Robert van de Walle is still the most unique male Belgian judoka. In 1980 he delivered to win the Olympic gold medal in Moscow. Van de Walle and Matthias Casse (2021 World Champion) are nowadays jointly mentioned as the best Belgian male judoka in the history. Read more

When Loredana Lascău speaks about judo, it’s with the quiet conviction of someone who has lived its values every day since first stepping onto the tatami in 1993. As a 3rd DAN and President of Judo Club Liberty Oradea, she has transformed a historic club into a close-knit family where children, parents, and athletes grow together. Through international Erasmus+ projects and a deep belief in education through sport, Loredana continues to prove that judo builds far more than champions, it ... Read more

On the first weekend of November 2025, the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium on Australia's Gold Coast will host the 2025 Gold Coast Oceania Open. The two-day event will host over 137 senior judoka from 23 nations who will vie across 14 weight categories. Read more

At the end of October, the U23 European Judo Championships will take place in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The country has produced several outstanding judoka over the years, and as the continental event approaches, it is time to get to know more about both the tournament and this somewhat undiscovered corner of Europe. Moldova is officially Europe’s least visited country, welcoming only around 11,000 tourists each year. Its quiet reputation is partly due to its location and modest t... Read more

“It would have been hard to imagine me ending up anywhere outside of sport, my father worked in the government’s sports department and was always determined to keep me moving. By the age of six, I had already tried gymnastics, swimming, and tennis. Ironically, it was tennis that led me to judo, though not in the most graceful way”, Vladimer Nutsubidze, Olympic Referee, EJU Referee Commissioner, and IJF Referee Supervisor, begins to share his story in his most recent interview with us. He ... Read more

Montréal, October 19, 2025 – On Sunday, Kyle Reyes got off to an excellent start in the under-100 kg category at the Grand Prix in Guadalajara, Mexico. However, the 32-year-old athlete’s day came to an early end when he lost his semi-final match. He and his coaches subsequently decided he would not compete for a bronze medal. Photo IJF, (c) Tamara Kulumbegashvili In his final bout of the day, Reyes was caught off guard thirty seconds into the contest by reigning Olympic champion Z... Read more

It was a weekend to remember for judo’s power couple, Gabriella Willems and Christian Parlati. Both climbed the podium at the Grand Prix in Guadalajara, capping off a perfect few days in Mexico. Parlati struck gold in the -90kg category on Sunday, while Willems fought her way to bronze in the -70kg division a day earlier. Read more

The heavyweight final in Guadalajara began with a scare for Ushangi Kokauri, who was briefly unbalanced in the opening exchange, but the experienced Azerbaijani kept his composure. Moments later, as Lukas Krpalek dropped to one knee to defend, Kokauri reacted instantly, countering with precision and flowing straight into groundwork to secure the hold and the victory. Read more

Azerbaijan shone brightest at the Guadalajara Grand Prix 2025 , held from 17–19 October, topping the overall medal table with a remarkable six gold and three bronze medals, even surpassing powerhouse Japan. In total, European athletes amassed 37 medals, including 10 gold, further proving the continent’s dominance on the international judo stage. The opening day belonged to Amandine Buchard, whose silver medal in Lima last week was only a sign of things to come. Competing in just her secon... Read more

Olympic champion Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE) reminded everyone why he is still the man to beat in the U100kg category. The Azerbaijani judoka stormed through the preliminaries at the Grand Prix in Guadalajara, winning each contest with power and precision. Across the draw, Italy’s Gennaro Pirelli matched that form, setting up a final that promised fireworks between two in-form heavyweights. Read more

The U90kg category lived up to expectations in Guadalajara, delivering one of the most intense finals of the day. Marcelo Fronckowiak (BRA) and Christian Parlati (ITA) arrived in the gold medal contest after flawless preliminaries, both having won every fight by ippon. Two judoka in top form, one gold at stake. The final was a tactical duel from the start. Midway through, Fronckowiak received a penalty for a false attack, soon matched by one against Parlati for passivity. It was finely bala... Read more

The women’s +78kg category followed the script in Guadalajara with top seed Raz Hershko (ISR) and Helena Vukovic (CRO) powering through the preliminaries to set up a heavyweight final between two of the division’s most consistent performers. Read more

This past weekend, Riga welcomed the Cadet “Millennium Team” European Judo Cup , a vibrant celebration of youth sport that brought together 419 judoka from 24 nations. Now firmly established as one of the most significant cadet judo events in the Baltic region, the tournament once again underscored Riga’s strong position on the European judo calendar. Among the participants were several outstanding young athletes, including a reigning European Champion from Lithuania and a number of judok... Read more

The women’s U78kg category in Guadalajara delivered a showcase of quality judo, with Beatriz Freitas (BRA) and Kurena Ikeda (JPN) emerging as the standout performers of the day. Freitas impressed with her calm, assertive approach, dispatching each opponent with composure, while Ikeda demonstrated the characteristic precision and technical excellence of the Japanese school. Both judoka advanced to the final in style, promising a high-level clash to close the category. Read more

25-26 October           World Judo Day technical course + Mons and Juniors Competition @ UTS 28 October                 World Judo Day 1-2 November            Gold Coast Senior Oceania Open Read more

Lima (Peru) Grand Prix (11 October)  and Lima Pan-American Open (14 October) Read more

The club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Monday 3rd November at 8.00pm at the club. The official agenda for the AGM is attached to the email accompanying this newsletter. The agenda for the committee meeting which follows the AGM will be sent to committee members separately. 24a4b0cd-245a-46eb-b7d0-11a423cbd163.pdf Read more

Budokan will host a night of family fun and a great celebration of a year at the club. There will be food, pizza, drink, more food, swimming and fun at the Ryde Aquatic Centre. The venue is booked for Budokan’s exclusive use. No cost to club members and their families. Read more

Please note that contrary to information in the last newsletter, we will be holding Senior technical training at Budokan on Saturday 25th October as usual to ensure a good preparation for the athletes competing in the Oceania Open a week later. Read more

Reminder of the great opportunity to learn from an international superstar on the World Judo Day Mega Weekend at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on 25–26 October 2025, with special guest Megumi Horikawa (2022 World Champion, 4× Grand Slam Champion). More details at Read more

The final Judo NSW community series event will be held in only 3 weeks’ time Early bird entry is available until 2nd November with all entries closing 4th November. Read more

Welcome to our second newsletter for October and welcome to our new club members. Read more

Former World Champion Noël van ’t End has announced the end of his international judo career. The 33-year-old Dutch judoka will make his final competitive appearance at the Dutch National Championships in Almere in December, where he plans to bid farewell to his fans on home soil. Read more

Montréal, October 18, 2025 – For the second week in a row,  Jessica Klimkait  stepped onto a Grand Prix podium in the under-63 kg weight category. After winning gold last weekend in Lima, the Ontarian took silver today in Guadalajara, following a hard-fought battle against Japan’s Haruka Kaju. Photo IJF / Tamara Kulumbegashvili  Haruka Kaju and Jessica Klimkait Despite the daunting task at hand, Klimkait showed no fear as she took on the defending title-holder, who occupies the num... Read more

Montréal, October 17, 2025 – On Friday, Canadian judokas Evelyn Beaton (-52 kg) and Heidi Quach (-48 kg) battled for bronze in their respective weight divisions on the opening day of the Judo Grand Prix in Guadalajara, Mexico. However, the two young athletes were defeated in their final matches, thus finishing fifth in their respective categories. Photo: IJF, Tamara Kulumbegashvili Evelyn Beaton (in blue). “Although they’re young and are just starting to compete on the senior circu... Read more

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  By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. Ever notice how the best judo transition Read more The post Judo Transition from Standing to Groundwork: Seizing the Moment appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

Montréal, October 15, 2025 – Canadian judokas won four bronze medals at the Panamerican Judo Open in Lima this Tuesday. Quebecers Coralie Godbout (-78 kg), Justin Lemire (-73 kg), Olivier Gagnon (-81 kg) and Guillaume Gaulin (-90 kg) will all take home bronze medals from the one-day tournament held in the Peruvian capital. However, despite the hardware haul, team Coach Antoine Bouchard believes the medal count could have been higher. Photos – Confederación Panamericana de Judo “It h... Read more

Welcome to the Irish Judo Association – Lycan Judo Club Lycan Judo Club – Belfast On behalf of the President Ms Sylvia O’Flynn, the IJA Executive Board, our clubs, and our members, we would like to welcome Lycan Judo Club to the Irish Judo Association. Club Secretary Graham Keys is very excited to join the Association with a view to bringing judo into his club remit along with Head Coach Eoin Fleming. Graham and Eoin are well-known within the martial arts and judo circles and they look for... Read more

The Irish Judo Association extends its congratulations to all judoka who successfully graded at the Dan Grading held on Sunday, 28th September 2025 . This important event brought together judoka from clubs across the country, each demonstrating the technical skill, discipline, and commitment that judo represents. The grading panel commended participants for their preparation, attitude, and strong spirit shown throughout the day. Earning a Dan grade is a major milestone in every judoka’s journ... Read more

Coralie Godbout  had an excellent day on Monday, earning a bronze medal in the Under 78kg category on the final day of the Grand Prix in Lima, Peru. This is Team Canada’s third medal in Lima, following  Jessica Klimkait’s  gold medal on Sunday, and  Julien   Frascadore’s  silver medal on Saturday. In the bronze medal match, Godbout defeated Brazil’s Karol Gimenes to secure her place on the third step of the podium. After scoring a waza-ari early on in the bout, the Quebecoise continue... Read more

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Jessica Klimkait  earned herself the gold medal in the Under 63kg class, Sunday at the Lima Grand Prix in Peru. Klimkait’s gold makes for quite a welcome back, after having been away for six months. In the final, Klimkait got the better of Brazil’s Nauana Silva, which paved the Canadian’s way to the top step of the podium. “At the beginning of the day, she was a bit nervous since it had been six months since she’d been in a competition, but honestly, she had a really great day, and... Read more

Congratulations to Stephen Sims – Newly Qualified IJF Continental B Referee! Stephen Sims has officially joined the ranks of IJF Continental B Referees after a demanding and successful examination weekend in Malaga, Spain. Over the course of three intense days, Stephen demonstrated his deep knowledge and sharp officiating skills, earning a prestigious qualification that now allows him to referee at major international events such as European Opens. Stephen was one of 23 candidates w... Read more

Julien Frascadore  won his very first Grand Prix medal at the Lima, Peru Grand Prix on Saturday. The Canadian judoka took silver in the Under 66kg category after a grueling final that lasted over nine minutes. The Quebec-based athlete was competing in his first tournament since April, and faced 2024 European Junior Champion Valerio Accogli (Italy) in the final. Frascadore resisted each of Accogli’s early aggressive attacks, but overtime ultimately proved necessary. In the end, the Ita... Read more

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Judo Canada announces the departure of Sasha Mehmedovic on October 17, following more than ten years of dedicated service to the organization. Sasha joined Judo Canada’s national coaching staff in September 2013, shortly after retiring from competition. Over the past decade, he has played a pivotal role in the development and success of Canadian judo. Judo Canada extends its sincere gratitude to Sasha for his outstanding contributions to the sport and wishes him every success in his fu... Read more

Gladiators star, Fury, and swimming champion Michael Gunning back NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign, calling on parents in Northern Ireland to play their part Broadcasters, influencers and figures from the sporting world have come together with NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) to call on parents and carers across Northern Ireland to get involved in Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week (6–12 October 2025). The annual campaign highlights the vital role par... Read more

Montréal, October 8, 2025 – The Canadians faced a daunting challenge in round one of the team event at the Junior World Judo Championships in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday. The members of coach Antoine Bouchard’s team were eliminated early in the competition by Neutral Athletes competing under the banner of the International Judo Federation. Photo IJF (c) Sabau Gabriela On the men’s side, Fahd Fitane (-73 kg) and John Jr Messé A Bessong (+90 kg) put up solid fights against their opponent... Read more

We’re excited to share that the International Judo Federation (IJF) has just released Journey to the Great Shiai , an educational Minecraft experience designed to teach judo values in a fun and immersive way. schools.ijf.org What is it? Players explore a mysterious island, solve puzzles, complete parcours, and meet eight Judo Masters. Along the way, you collect cards and use them in digital “tatami” battles, learning classic judo techniques like O-uchi-gari, O-goshi, Uchi-mata, and more. ... Read more

Montréal, October 7, 2025 – Four Canadian athletes were on Tuesday’s roster for the final day of individual competition at the Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru. And although none of them secured a win, coach Antoine Bouchard nevertheless views the day in a positive light. Yehor Paladii (-100 kg) put up the toughest battle as he sought to dominate Bogdan Petre of Romania. Paladii opened the scoring with a waza-ari, but his opponent managed to even the score. When Paladii attempted... Read more

25-26 October           World Judo Day technical course                                     Mons and Juniors Competition @ UTS – details to follow 28 October                 World Judo Day – function at Budokan Read more

There is another great opportunity to learn from an international superstar on a World Judo Day Mega Weekend at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on 25–26 October 2025, with special guest Megumi Horikawa (2022 World Champion, 4× Grand Slam Champion). More details at Read more

By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. Patchway Judoka learnt O-Goshi this week and at Read more The post Certificates for Mastering O-Goshi: The Hip Throw appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

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The Welsh Judo Association is proud to announce the appointment of Ben Jeffreys as its new Chief Executive, following a competitive and comprehensive recruitment process. Ben, originally from Newport, brings over twelve years of experience in leadership and sports management. Most recently, Ben served as Chief Executive for Torfaen Leisure Trust, where he led one of the largest leisure operators in South Wales through a period of significant change, transformation and growth. Prior to th... Read more

To All Members & Clubs Please note that we are aware of an email purporting to be from the IJA President, Sylvia O’Flynn, that is in circulation. This email originates from an unofficial Gmail address: [email protected] This is a SPAM email and should be ignored and deleted. We have informed our IT Department of the same. Avice   The post **Urgent** Spam email from President of the Irish Judo Association first appeared on Irish Judo Association . Read more

The Welsh Judo Association is proud to congratulate Georgina Bevan on the award of her 6th Dan, recognising her outstanding technical ability and long-standing service to the sport. Following her competitive career, Georgina has continued to give back to the sport she loves. She is the head coach of Doraiba Judo Club, where she shares her experience and knowledge with the next generation. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Welsh Judo, recently stepping away after years of valua... Read more

By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. Explore the  Koka Kids Judo Resources Find Read more The post 4Skills: A Progressive Approach to Mastering Judo Throws appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

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By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. I’m delighted to share some exciting news from Read more The post Koka Kids Success Story in the Netherlands: 20 Kanteltechnieken Pre Orders Now Open appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

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By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. I’m a great believer of learning as many Read more The post Building Strong Foundations: Learning the Complete Gokyo appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. What really makes my day is when coaches Read more The post Simple Resources for Busy Judo Coaches appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

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On behalf of the Irish Judo Association, I wish to express my deepest sympathies on the passing of Sheila Sullivan . Sheilah’s kindness, sense of humour, and unwavering commitment to sport left a lasting impression on all who met her. Her loss will be felt far beyond the Irish Judo Association—she was a treasured figure across the wider sporting family. To her family, friends, and colleagues, we extend our heartfelt condolences. Sheila’s legacy will live on in the communities she supported ... Read more

Reverse Sankaku from a Sideways Entry Cuban Sankaku from a Sideways Entry Read more

By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. I wanted to share something I’ve been Read more The post Judo Syllabus now in paperback! appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

On Sunday, 14th September, our club came together for something a little different. We swapped the dojo for mud, ropes, and obstacles at the Nuts Challenge obstacle course —a family-friendly event similar to Tough Mudder. It was messy. It was tough. It was unforgettable. Dozens of children, parents, and coaches ran side by side, climbing walls, crawling through mud, and pulling each other over obstacles. It was an afternoon full of laughter, teamwork, and achievement. And for many families, i... Read more

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By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, Koka Kids editor. I began the Koka Kids Judo Books Read more The post An easy way to choose the right judo book appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

Sanshirokwai proudly hosted the second Welsh National Kata Championships last month, bringing together judoka from across Wales for a truly memorable celebration of kata judo. Nage-no-Kata Rob Sennett & Mark Griffiths (Honto Judo) Paul Williams & Abdullah Haider (Samurai Olympic Judo Club) Katame-no-Kata Adam Cardy & Kai Morgan-Kelly (Neath Judo Kwai) Russell Drodge & Abdullah Haider (Samurai Olympic Judo Club) Rhiannon Au-Yeung & Dean Maynard (Samurai Olympic Judo Club) Ju-no-Kata Tasha... Read more

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by  Nik Fairbrother MBE  (Author), Colin Mc Iver  (Author), Joyce Heron  (Author) Advance your judo skills with the British Judo Mon Grade Read more The post Grade up! British Judo Mon Grade Syllabus by Koka Kids 7th Mon to 9th Mon appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

Irish Judo acknowledges the resignation of Anderson dos Santos as National Pathway Performance Coach and extends its sincere thanks for his years of dedicated service to the organisation and the sport. Anderson has made a lasting impact on Irish Judo, exemplifying the moral code of judo — respect, courage, honour, and friendship — throughout his time with us. His commitment and passion have significantly contributed to the growth of the sport in Ireland, and his influence will continue to be... Read more

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Top Signs, What Parents Can Do, and How Judo Builds Confidence, Focus, and Resilience Every parent worries when their child goes back to school. Will they make friends? Will they keep up in class? But for many mums and dads, the biggest unspoken fear is this: what if my child is being bullied? Bullying is not always obvious. Many children hide it, fearing it will get worse if they tell an adult. Left unchecked, bullying can cause long-term damage to a child’s confidence, focus, grades, and ev... Read more

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To All Members & Clubs Please note we are aware an email purporting to be from the IJA President Sylvia O’Flynn is in circulation. This email originates from an unofficial Gmail address: [email protected] This is a SPAM email and should be ignored and deleted. We have informed our IT Department of same. Kristina IJA Office 01.09.2025 14.48pm The post **Urgent** Spam email from President of the Irish Judo Association first appeared on Irish Judo Association . Read more

There are a few different types of armlocks in judo but the most popular armlock is the juji-gatame (cross armlock). There are many different aspects to learn about juji-gatame, namely: a) Juji-gatame roll b) Juji-gatame finishings c) Juji-gatame defences & escapes d) Counters to juji-gatame defences Juji-gatame rolls are very well-established. There are only a few proven and effective ways to roll uke over into a juji-gatame position. These are all well-known. However, juji-gatame finishings... Read more

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The Northern Ireland Judo Federation is celebrating a major milestone as three athletes from the Talent Development Squad—Aodhan McGivern, Conall McGivern, and Quinn Armstrong—earned world rankings following their impressive performances at the Amman Asian Open, an IJF Continental event. Each athlete placed 7th in their respective category, securing a coveted spot on the International Judo Federation’s world ranking list. This achievement reflects not only the athletes’ individual g... Read more

On the 10th of July 2025, we informed clubs of important regulatory changes issued by the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) effective the 7th July 2025, which impact all vetting applications and related procedures. The IJA has now completed updates to the E Vetting Procedures September 2025 and the IJA website has been updated with the new E Vetting Policy and new NVB1 form. Clubs can now restart the Vetting Process with their relevant club members whose vetting has expired recently. E Vetting Pr... Read more

M E M O R A N D U M TO: Individual Members, Member Dojos, Yudanshakais, USJF BOD, USJF BOE, USJF Committees, USJF Exco FROM: Robert Fukuda, Executive Director RE: FY 2026 USJF Fee Increases ** Effective 09/01/2025 ** DATE: August 23, 2025 We hope that this announcement finds everyone in great health and enjoying […] Read more

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© 2025 James Baker, all rights reserved. James Baker Read more

On Thursday 7 th August, the pilot event for the Northern Ireland Judo Federation’s initiative Breakfalls For Life took place in the Sonkei Judo Dojo in Ballycastle, and the feedback to the night so far has been resounding. Breakfalls for Life uses the Judo principles of “learning to land safely during a fall” to apply the same principles to mental health and wellbeing, or as it’s known in the program as mental fitness. However, you don’t need any judo experience to understand the pr... Read more

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© 2025, Pedro Kolychkine, all rights reserved. Pedro Kolychkine Judo Biography Pedro Kolychkine was born in 1964, started his Judo practice with his grandfather in Havana, Cuba at an early age. When speaking of historical and philosophical perspective as it relates to Pedro, one must first mention that he is carrying his grandfather’s legacy. The […] Read more

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© 2025, Katsuo Watanabe, all rights reserved. Katsuo Watanabe Judo Biography Sensei Watanabe has devoted his life to judo with a significant impact on the development of Judo in the Northeast of the United States and beyond. Over six decades, his contributions span Tournament leadership, coaching, program administration, instruction and the development of judo. Sensei […] Read more

© 2025, Arjun Ramesh, all rights reserved Steve Viera “The USJF Lifetime Achievement Award (“LAA”) recognizes the local heroes of Judo, those who have worked behind the scenes for Judo but without whom Judo would be a pale shadow of what it should be.” Intermountain Yudanshakai nominates Sensei Steven "Steve" Viera for the prestigious LAA […] Read more

© 2025 Don Johnson, all rights reserved. Janet Yoshie Ashida Johnson Judo Beginnings Janet began her Judo training at the Ann Arbor Judo Club in 1968 at the age of 10 under the instruction of her father, Dr. Sachio Ashida. When Miss Keiko Fukuda visited the Ashida family that year, she taught Janet the first […] Read more

© 2025, Tom Sheehan, all rights reserved. Tom Sheehan Judo Biography A Lifetime of Judo and Leadership Tom Sheehan has dedicated over five decades to the art and sport of Judo, making a profound impact as an instructor, referee, administrator, and mentor. His unwavering commitment to Judo has shaped the lives of countless Judoka and […] Read more

Kanō Jigorō comments to Summer Training Course, August 1899 (summary, not verbatim)嘉納師範の暑中稽古の初日に於ける講話大意　(明治三二年） This is a bit of history from 126 years ago seems appropriate for this summer, given the fact that this is the hottest summer in living memory in Japan. A couple of places nearby Tokyo reached 41.8°C today. For us Americans and the … Continue reading Kano shihan on Summer Training – August 1899 → Read more

The Welsh Judo Association is please to announce and congratulate Andrew Burt on the award of his 6th Dan. Andrew’s promotion is a reflection of decades of dedicated service to Judo, both on and off the tatami. From representing Great Britain as an athlete to shaping the future of Welsh Judo through his coaching, officiating, and leadership roles, Andrew’s contribution is exceptional. Throughout his judo journey, Andy has worn many hats, including: GB Squad Member (1984–198... Read more

Uchikomi is where you enter into a throw and load uke up for the throw but you don’t actually execute the throw. You stop short of actually throwing. Nagekomi is when you go through the entire motion, and finish the throw. Both are important for skills development. Uchikomi is especially useful when you are first learning a new throw. You don’t yet have the feel for the throw, so you need to do uchikomi to get a sense of how to enter into the throw. But uchikomi doesn’t actually give you the ... Read more

Randori in common parlance is "sparring". It's a very important part of judo training. Through randori, you get to test out your skills and see if you can get your techniques to work against a resisting partner. Here are eight common randori mistakes players make that will prevent them from getting the most out of their randori experience: 1. Talking during randori. Randori is when you "play" judo. In sports, you spend some time doing technical training and drilling, and then you play the spo... Read more

Fighting Fitness Judo Hosts a Rainy but Resilient Community Celebration in Knaphill Despite the rain, the spirit of the Woking and Knaphill community shone through. On Saturday 19th July, Fighting Fitness Judo hosted the Knaphill Community Day to mark its 10-year anniversary — and what started as a wet and uncertain morning quickly turned into a joyful, energetic celebration. A Little Rain, a Lot of Resilience As a mother of two boys, a former Commonwealth Games Champion, and co-founder of F... Read more

From Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th July 2025, the third Olympic Potential Training Camp of the year took place at the British Judo Centre of Excellence in Walsall. The Northern Ireland Judo Federation’s National Talent and Identification Development Programme (NIJF NITDP) was in attendance at the intensive three-day camp, joining a select group of Britain’s top judoka. Representing the NIJF was senior -66kg athlete Ewan Murray, alongside Performance Lead Coach Sarah Barritt. Ewan is ... Read more

Different clubs have different belt grading criteria. At some competitive clubs, the basis for grading is how well you do in competition. If you win lots of medals, you get promoted. At other clubs, it could be based on attendance. You've been in the club for a certain length of time, and have trained for a certain number of sessions, so you get promoted. At KL Judo, we believe that for an adult judoka to be promoted, there should be several objective and subjective components that are consid... Read more

National Teams 2025 – Yorkshire Returns! In 2025 we entered teams into the National teams competition. I'd expent my thanks to all those involved in making this happen, Dave Dunsford taking resposibility for overall management. Caroline Brayson and Liam Doody supporting players with team sessions prior to event and guiding them through the event on the day. Of course thanks to players and parents for getting behind the project and providing so much enthusiasm! Ben George, Y&H Chair. What foll... Read more

Char's report, presented to the 2025 AGM in June. Not a bad year for the area, with successes across the spectrum of Judo. We purchased modern scoreboards a few years back and in 2024 we added video replay for the referees (CARE) which proved a solid and popular investment when first used at the annual Sheffield University Kyu grade Tournament. We continue to see individuals from the area representing the area within the BJA, Caroline Brayson joining the Veterans Commission and Ben George joi... Read more

This is a unique opportunity to lead a values-driven, ambitious National Governing Body through the final phase of its current strategic cycle. We’re looking for an inspiring and experienced leader to take up the role of CEO at the Welsh Judo Association. You’ll lead a small but dedicated team, help shape the future of Welsh Judo, and drive forward our vision of judo as a force for individual and social transformation. Working closely with the Board of Directors, Sport Wales, a... Read more

15 Fun (and Screen-Free) Summer Activities for Kids in Woking (Plus a Powerful Way to Build Confidence and Focus This Holiday) When school’s out, screen time goes way up . Without the structure of a school day, many children (especially between ages 5–12) end up spending their holidays glued to tablets, TVs, or game consoles. As tempting as screens are, they often lead to increased anxiety, disrupted sleep, reduced physical activity, and meltdowns when it’s time to unplug. That’s why we’ve p... Read more

In a landmark show of unity and purpose, the Judo Home Nations, British Judo, JudoScotland, England Judo, Welsh Judo, and the Northern Ireland Judo Federation, have officially signed the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, reinforcing their collective commitment to gender equity in sport. The Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, established by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, is a globally recognised framework that promotes the full involvement of women and gi... Read more

In a landmark show of unity and purpose, the Judo Home Nations, British Judo, JudoScotland, England Judo, Welsh Judo, and the Northern Ireland Judo Federation, have officially signed the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, reinforcing their collective commitment to gender equity in sport. The Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, established by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, is a globally recognised framework that promotes the full involvement of women and gir... Read more

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Date: Sunday September 21, 2025 Time: Registration: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm, Clinic: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Location: Ronaldo Candido Academy Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 22002 Novi Rd Novi, Michigan. 48375 Registration Fee: $20 All candidates must submit all their paperwork by August 24, 2025. Submit paperwork to Frances Glaze, Chair of Konan Board of Examiners, […] Read more

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and driven coach to lead preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting athlete qualification, preparation, and matside coaching for judoka aiming to represent Team Wales. Working closely with the National Coach and WJA staff, the role offers a chance to make a meaningful impact on performance outcomes at a major multi-sport event. Location : Cardiff-based with domestic an... Read more

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