IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Among a series of store fronts, children in judogi are filtering down some side steps and through a brightly lit doorway, energetic and looking to get on the tatami as fast as possible. Walking in, already you hear the laughter of very young children, aged between three and six, playing…
7 December 2023COACH VLADIMIR JOVICIC WELCOMES YOU TO BELGRADE
Over the past two days, the European Judo Union organisation has arrived in Belgrade, Serbia, for both the 75th EJU Ordinary Congress and the European Club Championships 2023, and have been fortunate enough to visit local clubs and athletes, including the 2022 silver medallists, Red Star Judo Club. Speaking with…
6 December 2023EJU Ordinary Congress - Belgrade, Serbia
On Friday, 8 December, the 75th Ordinary Congress of the European Judo Union will take place in Belgrade. Almost 100 national association representatives from 47 nations are expected. So much for the official part. Informally, numerous workshops have been taking place since Wednesday morning to review the past season and…
6 December 2023European Club Championships - Champions League - Belgrade, Serbia
With the up and coming European Club Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, let’s take a look at the four representing teams of the host nation. RED STAR JUDO CLUB Judo Club Red Star is the oldest of the host clubs, founded in 1955 and has been operating within the Red Star…
6 December 2023European Club Championships - Champions League - Belgrade, Serbia
When you talk about JUDO SERBIA, you can’t get past Aleksandar KUKOLJ. The 32-year-old, who has a university degree in economics, was runner-up at the 2021 World Championships, European Champion in 2017, two-time Olympian, three-time Grand Slam winner (including Tokyo), founded his own Judo club, the Kukolj Team, four years…
6 December 2023EJU Ordinary Congress - Belgrade, Serbia
Welcome to Belgrade. The coming days are all about European judo – packed with workshops, appointments and the highlights of the EJU Ordinary Congress on Friday and the European Club Championships – Champions League in the Stark Arena on Saturday. A two-day SPORT SECTOR SEMINAR, led by EJU Vice President…
5 December 2023Tokyo Grand Slam 2023 - Tokyo, Japan
It was a day of the Abe’s on the second day of the Tokyo Grand Slam 2023. For this event, it wasn’t the typical order for the weight categories, seeing only six yesterday, and today spectating the -48kg, -52kg, -63kg, -78kg, -60kg, -66kg, -100kg and +100kg categories, nevertheless, it meant…
3 December 2023Tokyo Grand Slam 2023 - Tokyo, Japan
In 2022, Japan took 13 of the 14 gold medals available in the Tokyo Grand Slam. Today was the first day of the competition where the rest of the world came to prove their worth in the home of judo, and hopefully, disrupt the success of the host nation. The…
2 December 2023Tokyo Grand Slam 2023 - Tokyo, Japan
Let’s dive straight in to the third and final preview of the Tokyo Grand Slam 2023… The Canadian team are offering up two athletes with world ranking number one status this week and after already identifying Christa DEGUCHI in the -57kg category, we look to Catherine BEAUCHEMIN-PINARD in the -63kg…
30 November 2023Tokyo Grand Slam 2023 - Tokyo, Japan
Tomorrow we will see the draw for the concluding event on the IJF World Judo Tour 2023 in the home of judo, Tokyo, Japan. Over the 2nd and 3rd of December, many of the greatest athletes in the world will finish their season looking to gain some all important ranking…
30 November 2023Tokyo Grand Slam 2023 - Tokyo, Japan
With 535 athletes from 88 nations competing in the Tokyo Grand Slam 2023, we are already counting almost 200 more athletes than in the previous edition. Another hope for change will come from the international athletes as only one gold medal did not go to the Japanese team in the…
29 November 2023International Conference: Safe Falling For The Elderly Through Judo
This was the first time the “International Conference Safe Falling for the Elderly through Judo” wasorganised together with University of Hertfordshire, Tokai University and the IJF Academy. The event was hosted by Tokai University in Japan. A total of 42 delegates attended from 14 national federations including the likes of…
29 November 2023Shirine BOUKLI, a name that has been rapidly gaining recognition in the world of judo, is a truly remarkable athlete. With her exceptional skills and unwavering determination, she has quickly risen through the ranks and is now considered one of the most prestigious opponent in the -48kg category. What sets…
28 November 2023Lukas Krpalek has not yet made a final decision
His CV needs little explanation in the international judo scene: Lukas KRPALEK (CZE), 33, 2-time Olympic champion and world champion, 3-time European champion, 3-time Grand Slam winner and EJU athlete spokesman. The golden frame with his name on the back betrays his star status, even if the top-athlete likes to…
27 November 2023EJU Get Together in Venray - Venray, Netherlands
It is farewell time in Venray [EJU Get Together event] and as we pack up our tools and retain our emotions, there is one person left to share her views with us. The leader of the EJU Adapted Judo project, Marina DRASKOVIC, who have put enormous amount of hours into…
26 November 2023EJU Get Together in Venray - Venray, Netherlands
Rudi Verhagen started judo at the age of 7. Little did he know, it will be the sport he pours his heart into. Rudi practiced judo with his brother, Herman, who, in the early 90’s was diagnosed with brain cancer and landed in a wheelchair. At the time, Rudi was…
26 November 2023EJU Get Together in Venray - Venray, Netherlands
Day two of the EJU Get Together event features the adaptive kata participants. 22 pairs will demonstrate their knowledge of ‘form’ this afternoon. Adapted Judo rules for Kata were created with the aim that every judoka, regardless of ability, could get the opportunity to participate equally in Kata tournaments. To ensure a…
26 November 2023EJU Get Together in Venray - Venray, Netherlands
Stereotyping, stigma, and discrimination are encounters people with disability face every day. Much of the disabled community faces exclusion from parts of society which others take for granted. Disability exclusion has stemmed from the belief that having a disability makes you ‘less than’. These individuals and their families are often told by…
25 November 2023
European Club Championships - Champions League