English Judo Blogs

It was a marathon day with a disappointing end for Priscilla Gagné at the World Para-Judo Championships in Tbilisi (Day 1). The Ontarian judoka had her heart set on a podium in the Under-52-kg division, but a bronze medal match against a tough opponent would relegate her to fifth place. In the aforementioned match, Gagné faced Spain’s Maria Manzanero Ruiz, a judoka who’s currently ranked fifth in the world in their weight class. The early moments of the bout showed the kind of heated ... Read more

Not every throw is perfect. Sometimes a child throws their opponent, but the landing isn’t Read more The post What Is a Waza-ari in Judo? The Half Score Explained appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

Women in Sport – Congratulations Lydia Ritchie – Silver Medal A great day for women in judo – Lydia Ritchie Amaze Athlone Judo Club won a Sivler Medal at the IJF World Veteran Judo Championships 2026. Lydia has cemented a Life Long Journey in Judo by adding another medal to her collection! Congratulations Lydia The post Women in Sport – Congratulations Lydia Ritchie – Silver Medal first appeared on Irish Judo Association . Read more

Welsh Judo was proud to host the 2026 British National Kata Championships in Cardiff on Sunday 6 September, welcoming kata competitors, judges and officials from across British Judo for a hugely successful day at Wales’ National Dojo.With 40 entries competing across senior and youth kata categories, the Championships showcased the continued growth and development of kata across Britain, with increasingly close scores and a high standard of performances throughout the day.The Welsh Judo A... Read more

Judo Canada is pleased to announce that Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been selected to host the 2028, 2029 and 2030 Open National Championships, following a competitive national bid process. The successful bid was submitted by Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism, in partnership with Judo Manitoba, with the support of the University of Winnipeg. This three-year commitment will bring Canada’s largest annual judo event to the heart of the country and establish a strong partnership between Judo... Read more

The Irish Judo Association will be very well represented at the Sarajevo World Championships Veterans which gets underway from the 20th to the 24th September 2026 in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The Association has a team of 11 judoka entered accross multiple categories: Kris Kavanagh, Daniel Grimley, Brian McGilloway – Renbukan Judo Club Sumit Parmar – Yoroi Dojo Paul Cummins, James Ward, Alexandru Aldea, Brian Killeen, Dermot Killeen – Paul Cummins School of Judo John Dennis – Lusk Judo Club Lydia... Read more

IJA Referee & Coach Seminar September 2026 The Refereeing Commission held a referee & coach seminar on the 13th September with morning and afternoon sessions both in the classroom and on the mat. Topics discussed in the morning were IJF new rules, Yuko v No Yuko, Neck Injuries – causation & prevention, Advanced Kumi Kata & grip breaks, an overview of Adaptive Rules and a general discussion on Matsumoto roll. The afternoon session was dedicated to the CARE System – position & function of the ... Read more

Three Canadian judokas reached the second step of the podium in their respective weight classes on Sunday, as the Pan-American Open in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, came to a close.  Artem Neyolov  (-81 kg),  Guillaume Gaulin  (-90 kg), and  Melody Grenier  (-57 kg) will all return home sporting silver medals. Three Canadian judokas reached the second step of the podium in their respective weight classes on Sunday, as the Pan-American Open in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, ca... Read more

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On Saturday, Canada’s judokas enjoyed another action-packed tournament at the Pan-American Open in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, wrapping up the day with a total of nine medals, including three gold captured by  Carla Van Zyl  (-63 kg),  Missy Jen Dorval Mbele  (-70 kg), and  Fahd Fithane  (-73 kg). Van Zyl and Fithane concluded the day in similar fashion, each of them pitted against fellow Canadians in their final matches of the tournament. Van Zyl, of British Columbia, defeated... Read more

Following Thursday’s strong performances from junior athletes, the Canadian cadet team picked up the torch in fine style Friday at the Pan American Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Canadian judokas brought the day to a close with a total of seven medals: four gold, one silver, and two bronze. Roman Semyrozum (in white) at the Cadet World Championships. Roman Semyrozum  continued yesterday’s winning ways with a gold in the Under 66 kg division. Semyrozym, the World Cadet vi... Read more

Sixteen medals: eight gold, four silver, and four bronze. Such was the Canadian team’s impressive tally on Thursday at the Junior Pan-American Cup, being held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “We knew we were favoured to do very well on the first day of the event, so we expected to win several medals today,” said team Canada coach  Erika de Sousa Miranda . “But we also know that the level of competition will be higher in the senior tournament.” Today’s remarkable haul included... Read more

You look away for one second, and when you look back the referee has an Read more The post What Is an Ippon in Judo? The Score That Ends the Match appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

You’ve driven across town to a sports hall. Your child disappears into a sea of Read more The post Watching Your Child’s First Judo Competition: A Parent’s Guide appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

Montreal will host the Pan American Open Judo Cup from November 5 to 8, 2026 at the Pierre-Charbonneau Center.  High-caliber athletes from many countries will be coming to Montreal in November. To make this event a great sporting event, we need your help as a volunteer.  The event is organized by Judo Canada. It’s an event not to be missed! Here is the link to the form to join our team for this wonderful event: https://forms.gle/VY7XNa6t6hukJBTS7 Thank you, and I hope to se... Read more

Women in Sport – Join Our Journey in Judo 2026/2027 The Irish Judo Association via its’ Women in Sport Commission led by Ellie Dennis secured further Women in Sport Funding from Sport Ireland in July 2026 for the coming 12 months. The funding will assist with the continuation of the ‘Join Our Journey in Judo’ campaign to integrate girls and women into a lifelong journey in judo. Ellie Dennis as Chair and lead of the Women in Sport programme will engage with clubs in the coming 12 months ahea... Read more

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The Northern Ireland Judo Federation is proud to congratulate Spartan Judo Club on the opening of their new full‑time dojo — a landmark achievement that arrives as the club approaches its 10‑year anniversary in 2027. This moment marks a decade of determination, community spirit, and continuous development within the Portadown, Craigavon and beyond areas. Founded in 2017 by Head Coach Jozsef Balogh, Spartan Judo Club began with a single weekly class and just five children. Reflecting... Read more

Congratulations to Chris on being awarded his 7th Dan, following submission to the International Judo Federation (IJF).   A significant milestone and recognition of his longstanding commitment and contribution to judo. Well done, Chris. 🥋 The post Congratulations Chris Hickey 7th Dan first appeared on Irish Judo Association . Read more

In this post, I’d like to spotlight, Charlotte Potter, 5th Dan, GB International and Head Read more The post Interview: Charlotte Potter on Growing Ippon Judo London while Keeping Admin Simple appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

This is how we develop a Family of Techniques for newaza. Read more

As discussed at the IJA Annual General Meeting in May 2026, the IJA Executive Committee has approved a membership fee increase from 1st September 2026. The increase will help the IJA continue to support its judo activities and deliver the goals of the Strategic Plan 2026–2028. Membership fees will increase by €10.00 for the following categories: Under 12s: €40 Under 18s: €50 3rd Level Students: €55 Over 18s: €70 Pro-Rata Membership From 1st September 2026, new members will benefit from 16... Read more

Montreal, August 31, 2026 – Judo Canada is pleased to announce the composition of its Board of Directors following the organization’s 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held virtually on Sunday, August 30. Judo Canada’s voting members, consisting of its Provincial and Territorial Judo Associations, participated in the election of five positions on the Board of Directors. Five Board positions were up for election this year. Chair Donna Hanson, Treasurer Miguel Rueda and Director Ruth La... Read more

Canada’s only judoka on the tatami Sunday at the Lausanne Grand Slam (Switzerland),  Kyle Reyes  (-100 kg) was eliminated in his first match of the day. Disappointed with his performance, he plans to regroup physically in order to bounce back in the coming weeks. Facing Bulgaria’s Boris Georgiev in the opening bout, the Ontarian believes he wasn’t effective enough in grappling, and let his opponent close in on him too easily. That was all it took for Georgiev to secure the victory wit... Read more

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Montréal, August 23, 2026 –Canada’s judokas put on a spectacular showing on Sunday in their repechage match against France in the mixed team competition at the Cadet World Judo Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Unfortunately, despite their valiant efforts, the Canadians fell to the French after seven bouts. Zoe Element  kicked things off for the Canadians with a victory over Mamitantely Oceana Stefanie in the under-48 kg category.  Amir Temirbaev  (-60 kg) kept up the momentum by d... Read more

The Welsh Judo Association is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Istvan Babos , a hugely respected figure within Newport Judo Club and the wider Welsh judo community. Steve passed away in hospital on 7 August 2026, just three weeks short of his 90th birthday, following a fall at home. Born in Hungary in 1936, Steve came to the United Kingdom as a refugee at the age of 20. He moved to Newport in 1958, where he joined Newport Judo Club and began an association with the club that ... Read more

Amaze Athlone Judo Club – Westmeath On behalf of the President Ms Sylvia O’Flynn, the IJA Executive Board, our clubs, and our members, we would like to welcome Amaze Athlone Judo Club to the Irish Judo Association. Head Coach Lydia Ritchie, 6th Dan, is very excited to establish a new judo club in Westmeath as part of the Irish Judo Association. Lydia is a well-known and highly respected figure within the judo community, working closely with the Veterans Commission and actively engaging with t... Read more

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The Irish Judo Association, through its Women in Sport Commission, was delighted to support female coaches in gaining valuable international coaching experience at the Valencia Training Camp in Spain in August 2026. For Iwona Osenkowska, a Level 2 coach currently working towards IJF Academy UCJI status, and Grainne Murphy, a Level 1 coach, the camp provided an excellent opportunity to further develop their coaching skills, broaden their experience and gain valuable insight in an internationa... Read more

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The IJA is happy to announce that Higashi club will be opening a new venue in Clondalkin at the start of September, 2026. The address of the new facility is The Ninth Lock Centre, Ninth Lock Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, D22NN84 For any further information regarding the timetable of the classes, or the fees, please contact Ivan Deliu at 087 613 0118 The post New club venue coming soon in Clondalkin first appeared on Irish Judo Association . Read more

Irish Judo Association Appoints Yvan Cebenka as Chief Executive Officer The Irish Judo Association is delighted to announce the appointment of Yvan Cebenka as its new Chief Executive Officer. Following a comprehensive and highly competitive recruitment process, which attracted many high-calibre applicants, Yvan was unanimously selected by the interview panel and has formally accepted the position. Yvan joins the Irish Judo Association from the world of Rugby, bringing extensive experience in ... Read more

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Join us for the 3rd Jita Kyoei Open Practice hosted at Shojin Judo on August 22nd from 12:30 to 3:30 pm Read more

Join us for the second part of this clinic on Kumi Kata and Attack Patterns. Read more

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How did you get the opportunity? Having volunteered at the previous two Commonwealth Games held in the UK — Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022 — I was eagerly waiting for applications to open in September 2025. A detailed selection process followed, involving a number of different tasks and assessments. Thousands of people applied, and in March 2026 I was delighted to be offered a role at the Games. What does your volunteering role involve? At these Games, I will be working as the Internat... Read more

Reminder – All paperwork is due July 23, 2026 Date: Sunday August 23, 2026 Time: Registration: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm, Clinic: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Location: IPPON Martial Arts, 16735 Ridge Road, Northville, MI 48168 Registration Fee: $20 All candidates must submit all their paperwork by July 23, 2026. Submit paperwork to Frances Glaze, […] Read more

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The Welsh Judo Association is delighted to announce the appointment of Natalie Powell to its newly created Head of Performance and Pathway position, following a competitive recruitment process.  Powell brings a unique combination of world-class competitive experience and a deep understanding of the Welsh judo system across a 25-year career. Having started her journey at Irfon Judo Club, she went on to become Wales’ most successful judoka, culminating in winning gold at the Glasgow 2014 C... Read more

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The Welsh Judo Association is proud to recognise the induction of Natalie Powell as inductee number 217 into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame. The honour was presented at last week’s Road to Glasgow: Team Wales with the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame event at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff, recognising a career that has helped define Welsh judo on the global stage.   Natalie’s journey is one of sustained excellence at the very highest level of international competition. Competing in the -78kg cat... Read more

The ever popular North Yorkshire Festival on the 28th June was once again held at York.An event that year on year proves to be very popular with players of all ages from 8 years  old. In the region of 200 competitors took part in the event across 3 mats, doing their best to show off their judo skills. We also saw presentions for young player of the year for 2025 & Mike Leng recognised for decades of voluntary service to area judo.  There were also referee assessments for a few of the volunte... Read more

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The Welsh Judo Association is seeking a passionate and committed volunteer to support the continued development of technical officiating across Wales. Welsh Judo Association Technical Officials Representative Technical officials play a vital role in the successful delivery of judo competitions. From timekeepers and scorers to recorders and competition controllers, they help ensure events are delivered safely, fairly, and professionally. The Technical Officials Representative will act as ... Read more

Welsh Judo is pleased to announce the athletes selected to represent Wales at the British National Team Championships 2026, taking place on Saturday 4 July 2026. The annual event brings together some of the best young judoka from across the Home Nations, competing as teams in a unique format that rewards both individual excellence and collective team spirit. The Welsh squad features athletes from clubs across the country, reflecting the strength and depth of the Welsh performance pathway... Read more

It is my great honor, on behalf of the United States Judo Federation, to congratulate Corinne Shigemoto on her induction into the U.S. Judo Hall of Fame. Read more

The Welsh Judo Association is proud to announce the selection of eight judoka who will represent Wales at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, marking a significant milestone for the athletes, their coaches, clubs and the wider Welsh judo community. The squad showcases the strength and depth of Welsh judo, bringing together Commonwealth Games experience, World Class Performance Programme athletes, British champions, international medallists and some of the country’s most exciting emergin... Read more

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The United States Judo Federation extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Ron Tripp, USA Judo CEO Corinne Shigemoto and USJF Executive Director Robert for their collaboration in establishing this reciprocal membership agreement. Read more

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The GB international and World Masters medallist, Mark Fricker talks honestly about how Pembee streamlined Read more The post Mark Fricker Interview: How Pembee has helped simplify dojo admin appeared first on Judo Books by Koka Kids . Read more

 OPEN PRACTICE FOR ALL JUDOKA AND JUDO CLUBS IN THE AREA SATURDAY JUNE 20TH, 12:30PM – 3:30PMWARM UPS, DRILLS, INSTRUCTION, OPEN RANDORI Please contact [email protected] with questions. Read more