Judo 

cctv.com 07-23-2004 09:44

Judo 鈥the gentle way

Although Judo is a martial art, its practice and methods are based around gentleness. Giving way to the strength of the opponent, adapting to and using it to your advantage will achieve victory over the opponent.

鈥淲hen a stronger man pushes me with all his might, I will be beaten if I simply go against him. If, instead of opposing his pushing I retreat more then he pushes or turn aside the direction of his pushing, he naturally leans forward through his own pushing and loses his balance, and if utilizing his pushing strength I apply a certain technique on him, it is quite possible to make him fall, as he is losing his balance. Sometimes he will fall merely if I turn my body skillfully. This is one simple instance of how, by giving way, a contestant may defeat his opponent. There in lies the principle of gentleness鈥 Jigoro Kano, What is Judo, Kodokan, 1947.

Description

A main referee and two more judges arbitrate a Judo contest. All officials are of equal status and calls are decided by vote. The main referee calls all points and penalties while performing the designated hand gestures.

The two judokas 鈥one in a white and one in a blue uniform - compete for five minutes. To win the contest a judoka must score an Ippon (a degree equalling 10 points) by using a successful technique. If none of the judokas completes an Ippon by the end of the game, the winner is the one to have scored the greatest value point.

ATHENS 2004 Judo

During the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games, Judo competitions will be staged in the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall, which has a seating capacity of 8,000. Competition events will take place within the span of seven days (August 14-20). Daily, one women鈥檚 and one men鈥檚 weight category will be completed, starting with the lighter weight categories. Preliminaries and repechage (a second chance for defeated athletes in the first and second round) will be held at 10:30 and finals at 16:30. It is estimated that as many as 386 judo athletes from 90 countries will compete in the 2004 Olympic Games.

Glossary

Ju: Gentleness, giving way

Do: Principle, way

Judo: The way of gentleness

Judoka: Judo contestant

Shinpan: Referee

Judogi: Judo suit

Eri: Lapel

Obi: Belt

Kyu: Grade, degree

Dojo: Practice hall

Tatami: Judo mat

Shiai: Contest

Repechage: Repechage (second chance)

Hajime: Start, begin

Matte: Wait

Sono mama: Don鈥檛 move

Yoshi: Carry on

Osaekomi: Hold-down

Toketa: Broken hold-down

Maitta: I surrender

Sore-made: This is the end

Ippon: 10 points- a full score

Waza-ari: 7 points

Yuko: 5 points

Koka: 3 points

Waza-ari-awasete-ippon: Two waza-ari score Ippon

Shido (Koka): Note (penalty)

Chui (Yuko): Caution (penalty)

Keikoku (Waza-ari): Warning (penalty)

Hansoku-make (Ippon): Disqualification (penalty)

Rei: Bow

Waza: Move technique

Tokui-waza: Athlete鈥檚 favourite technique

NAGE-WAZA: Throwing techniques

Tachi-waza: Standing techniques

Te-waza: Hand techniques

Koshi-waza: Hip techniques

Ashi-waza: Foot and leg techniques

Sutemi-waza: acrifice techniques

Ma sutemi-waza: Supine sacrifice techniques

Yoko sutemi-waza: Side sacrifice techniques

KATAME-WAZA: Grappling techniques

Ne-waza: Ground work/techniques

Osae-komi-waza: Hold-down techniques

Shime-waza: Strangulation techniques

Kansetsu-waza: Joint techniques

History

Jigoro Kano was the one to introduce Judo in Japan, in 1882. Its techniques derived from martial arts developed over centuries in various 鈥淛u jitsu鈥schools. Jigoro Kano devoted his life to promoting the sport and training new athletes and thereby created a legacy for today鈥檚 generations.

Starting in 1909 and for the next 30 years, Jigoro Kano participated in the Olympic Movement as a member of the IOC; he was one of Baron Pierre de Coubertin鈥檚 main associates. In addition, Jigoro Kano was the one to first propose the founding of the International Judo Federation (IJF) in the 1930s. The federation was finally established in 1951 by 13 European country-members. Today the federation counts more than 180 countries as its members.

The first Judo International Championships took place in Tokyo in 1956, with 31 athletes/participants from 21 countries. The sport has since developed into several events, based on weight categories. Today there are seven categories for men and seven for women. Men鈥檚 Judo was the first Asian sport to be added to the Olympic schedule in the 1964 Tokyo Games. Women鈥檚 Judo developed rapidly after the New York first World Championships in 1980 and it was added to the Olympic schedule in the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Judo made its appearance in post-War Greece and started developing after the Korean War.

It was acknowledged as a sport and included in the Hellenic Amateur Athletics Association (SEGAS) in 1977. In 1985 the Hellenic Judo Federation (EOT) was founded.

Today, the federation counts more than 150 teams and 6,000 athletes among its members. Greek and Clubs鈥Championships take place every year for athletes of all ages. EOT has staged important events with great success, such as the European Championships for men and women in 1993, the European Championships for junior men and women in 1989, the Mediterranean Championships in 1991, Balkan Championships.

Source:The official website of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games

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