Judo

What does the sport involve?

Contests are held on 'tatami', which are 10metres x 10 metres floor mats. The tatami have variable textures to mark out the boundaries of the competition area and the zones.

Each contest lasts 5 minutes. The only variation from standard international judo is that at the start of each contest the two contestants start holding each other by the shoulders, not standing 5ft apart. To win the contest a Judoka (contestant) must score an ‘Ippon’, that is a move equalling 10 points. There are 3 ways to win outright - by throwing your opponent flat on their back, by holding your opponent down for 25 seconds or by holding your opponent in an armlock or stranglehold (this last move is only permitted when contestants are aged 16 and above.) In cases where there is no Ippon scored by the end of the contest, then the Judoka who has scored the highest number of points for holds and moves wins.

Classification for events is by weight bands:

Men’s events range from       60 – 100 kg events

Women’s events range from  48 – 70 kg events

Who can compete?

Open to : Men and women with a visual impairment (Paralympic  Judo)

Where do I start if I want to try this sport?

The national body responsible for organisation of this sport is:

British Judo Association, Suite B, Loughborough Technical Park, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leics LE11 3GE

www.britishjudo.org.uk – click on ‘find a club’….’how do I start?’ ….’do people with disabilities do Judo?’ to locate a club or

Tel: 01509 631670

e-mail: bja@britishjudo.org.uk

The British Judo Association Inclusion Commission has the motto ‘Judo for All’ and states this it is working to ensure that Judo is open and accessible to players with a wide range of disabilities

Did you know?

Judo (men) first appeared as a paralympic sport in Seoul 1988 and was the first paralympic sport to originate in Asia

Simon Jackson MBE competed in both standard Judo contests and in paralympic competitions and was highly successful in both, winning 3 World titles, 3 Paralympic gold medals and 7 European Championships. He is now moving to cycling.

Would I like this sport and what are the benefits?

A fast moving sport requiring skill, strength, split second timing and a tactical approach. Intense and combines mental and physical skills. Good sport for blind and visually impaired because of the high degree of contact

 

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