Kana Ebinuma Joins the Line Up for The Gathering 2022
JudoScotland is delighted to announce that two-time World Team Champion, two-time All Japan Champion, three times Grand Slam Champion and IJF World Masters Champion Kana Ebinuma will be joining the Line up for The Gathering 2022.
She will join an already stand-out line up including her husband and three-time World Champion Masashi Ebinuma. As well as The Gathering favourite Neil Adams MBE 9th Dan, Greg Valentine the lead physical preparation coach for JudoScotland and the sportscotland institute of sport, Dr Andy Dalziell, a child development specialist who co-designed the Better Movers & Thinkers programme.
Due to the popularity of this event, we have now sold out of residential spaces, however, we still have a limited number of weekend and day tickets available. Largs has a number of local offsite accommodation options so that you can still make the most of The Gathering 2022. Click here for more information.
News From the Chair
Hi all,
A slight delay in this month’s Chairman’s statement, but given certain other events competing for your attention, I decided to wait until after the Commonwealth Games to give my update.
And on that very topic, I’d like to congratulate the entire Scottish team and coaching staff led by Team Manager Euan Burton for doing Scotland proud. Our judoka, every single one of whom fought their hearts out. Personally, I’d like to say a very well done to all – and especially to Sarah Adlington, Finlay Allan, Malin Wilson and Rachel Tytler for medalling.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Judith McCleary and her team at JudoScotland for the incredible amount of work they did to coordinate all the various facets of the Games.
One such event was an evening we hosted for 75 guests at ‘Scotland House’ on Sunday. It was attended by JudoScotland colleagues, sportscotland, members of the BJA, representatives of the home nations and other commonwealth countries – as well as some of our athletes and their families. A grand time was had by all!
British Judo also hosted an event at the Games: this time for proud Scot, Colin McIver, who’s announced that he’s stepping down from his position at BJA. As most of you probably know, Colin was a first-class competitor, Chief Executive of JudoScotland for many years, manager of a highly successful Olympic team and, latterly, worked for a long period with British Judo. Many of the directors and professional staff from JudoScotland attended his leaving do – and all of us thank Colin for his exceptional contribution to judo in this country over the years and wish him all the very best in his retirement.
Special congratulations also go to Rick Kenney who has been re-elected as President of the Commonwealth Judo Association for another term.
Away from the Commonwealth Games, can I bring your attention to a brand new event in the JudoScotland Calendar – the Scottish All Stars Championship, which is set to launch at Ravenscraig on 4th September. This is a brand new type of tournament. By attending, Judoka can learn what it means to compete, to fight and to be challenged – but will also come away inspired, as the event will be delivered in a fun and very engaging way. All participants will be rewarded for displaying one of the judo values – courage – in stepping up and trying something different. We’re hoping that the All Stars Championship will become a permanent feature in our events calendar.
And finally, a couple of JudoScotland announcements.
First of all, we’re about to renew and upgrade our CARE system – which I know will make our officials, coaches and players extremely happy! And secondly, it’s great to be able to announce that we’re building up and strengthening the team in the office, and so I’d like to welcome along two new JudoScotland colleagues, Anna Hunter and Daria Fedorenko who will be joining the Business Support Team.
To sign off I wish you and yours a great summer and look forward to catching up with you in the very near future.
Regards Marc Preston, Chairman
Two Medals for Team Scotland on Day Three of The Commonwealth Games Judo
Another exciting day for Team Scotland Judo at Coventry Arena as Sarah Adlington retains her Commonwealth title winning Gold in the +78kg and Rachel Tytler winning Bronze in the -78kg at her first ever Games.
Sarah Adlington managed to retain her title as Commonwealth Game +78kg Champion! The first Scottish Judoka to retain a Commonwealth title, beating Tulika Maan of India in the final. She wins this title 8 years after years on since she first claimed it in Glasgow in 2014!
A fantastic start to the day for Sarah, beating Dianah Kana of Kenya by Nippon in the quarter-final. Sarah was able to secure her place in the +78kg finals by beating Abigail Paduch of Australia with a Waza-Ari.
It was a tough start to the day for Rachel Tytler (-78kg) as she lost out to England’s Emma Reid, who would later win gold, in the first round of the contest. However, she was able to make a come back in the repechage as she beat Hayley Mackay of New Zealand by Ippon taking her into the bronze medal fight. Moving into the Bronze medal fight Rachel faced Coralie Godbout of Canada, where she won by ippon within the first 30 seconds. An incredible achievement for this Commonwealth debutant.
It was also a difficult first round for Andrew McWatt in the +100kg as he lost out to Australia’s Liam Park. Moving into the repechage he was able to beat Giannis Antoniou of Cyprus by ippon moving him into the bronze medal fight. Unfortunately, Andrew closely missed out on a bronze medal losing out to Sebastien Perrinne of Mauritius by a Waza-Ari.
That marks the end of the Judo for Birmingham 2022. We would like to congratulate all Scottish Judoka on the tremendous achievement of qualifying for the team and their performance throughout the tournament. All 11 Judoka have done Scotland proud!
Commonwealth Games 2022: Day 2 Round Up
Day two of Judo saw the middleweights take to the mat. With just one Team Scotland Judo athlete, 19-year-old Billy Rodman fighting in the -73kg.
In an incredibly tough category for this Commonwealth debutant, Billy faced Australia's Jake Bensted in the first round. Although a very close fight, unfortunately, Billy was unable to get the better of Jake and lost out by a Waza-Ari.
Tomorrow three Team Scotland Judoka will take to the mat Rachel Tytler (-78kg), Sarah Adlington (+78kg) and Andrew McWatt (+100kg).
Two Medals for Scottish Judoka on Day 1 of Birmingham 2022
Commonwealth Games 2022: Day 1 Round Up
An exciting first day for Team Scotland Judo as Finlay Allan claims Silver and Malin Wilson wins Bronze.
Finlay had an outstanding day at his debut Commonwealth Games fighting his way through the early rounds of the -66kg beating Mauro Nassone of Mozambique, Steven Mungandu of Zambia, Jasleen Saini of India in the semi-final to come up against Georgios Balarjishvili of Cyprus. The final proved to be a nail-biting performance and although a close match, Finlay missed out on Gold to take Silver.
Alex Short (-66kg) and Malin Wilson(-57kg), both made it into the bronze medal fights where they faced tough opponents in Northern Ireland’s Nathon Burns and England’s Lele Nairne.
Malin took Bronze, defeating England’s Lele Nairne in Golden Score. The road to bronze wasn’t easy for Malin after a first-round win, she was beaten by second seed England’s Acelya Toprak pushing her into the repechage where she defeated New Zealand’s Qona Christie which put her back in the running for a medal.
Alex had a strong start winning his first two fights but unfortunately lost out in the semi-finals to Georgios Balarjishvili of Cyprus, who would later win Gold. Heading for the bronze medal fight, unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for Alex as he lost out to Nothern Ireland’s Nathon Burns.
Meanwhile, it was a tough day in the -52kg category for Kirsty Marsh and Kimberley Renicks. Kirsty Marsh started the day with a win against Mariel Kalomor of Vanuatu but lost out in the quarter-finals to Kelly Deguchi of Canada. Moving into the repechage Kirsty faced Jacira Ferreira of Mozambique for a chance at bronze but was beaten ending her run at Birmingham 2022.
Kimberley Renicks returned to the Commonwealth Tatami in the -52kg facing Sofia Asvesta of Cyprus. In the sixth minute of Golden Score, Sofia secured a win putting Kim out of the running for a second Commonwealth title.
David Ferguson and Dylan Munro faced a hard day of competition in the -60kg category. With a bye in the first round, David faced Daniel Rabbitt of Wales but was unable to secure a win to progress.
Dylan had a fantastic first match against Sri Lanka’s Priyankara Wimukthi, however, was beaten by England’s Ashley McKenzie, who would later be crowned Commonwealth Champion, in the quarter-final. Moving into the repechage he faced Vijay Kumar Yadav but was unable to secure a win putting him out of the competition.
A massive congratulations to all Team Scotland Judoka for putting on a great performance.
Judo at Birmingham 2022: What You Need To Know
Venue: Coventry Arena1st - 3rd August
Judo is back at the Commonwealth Games! For the first time since Glasgow 2014, Judo is back in the Commonwealth Games for Birmingham 2022. Whether you are new to the Games or simply need a refresh here is what you need to know about Commonwealth Judo.
Monday 1st August: -48kg, -52kg, -57kg, -60kg & -66kg
Tuesday 2nd August: -63kg, -70kg, -73kg & -81kg
Wednesday 3rd August: -78kg, +78kg, -90kg, -100kg & +100kg
Competitive Judo
A competitive Judo match will last for 4 minutes, however, this can be cut short if one competitor scores an ippon, or can last longer if the match goes into golden score.
The objective in a judo match is to throw the opponent to the ground on their back; pin them to the ground principally on their shoulder; or force them to submit to a choke, strangle or armlock. Any of these score ippon, immediately winning the match. Scores from the match will be displayed on the scoreboard with the remaining time of the competition.
There are currently 14 categories within Judo and they are divided into weight and gender:
Female Categories: -48Kg, -52Kg, -57kg, -63kg, -70kg, -78kg and +78kg
Male Categories: -60kg, -66kg, -73kg, -81kg, -90kg, -100kg and +100kg
Are You Traveling For The Games?
If you are travelling for the Games, make sure to join us between sessions at The Novotel Coventry where British Judo will be hosting an official supporters lounge. Make sure to pop by and pick up your supporter’s packs!
This is an ideal location for all our judo family and friends to congregate in between sessions as it is just a 10-minute walk from the Arena. Food is available and there is a large open-plan bar area as well as a beer garden with a play area for children. We very much look forward to seeing you at the Games and the Judo House. The Novotel address is: 3 Wilsons Lane, Longford, Coventry, CV6 6HL
Judo Glossary
Hajime: Begin
Mate: Stop (wait)
Judogi: Judo Suit
Judoka: One who studies Judo
Rei: Respect/Bow
Shido: Penalty
Waza Ari: 1/2 point.
Ippon: Full point.
Ne Waza: Techniques on the ground.
Tachi Waza: Standing techniques
Golden Score: Golden Score is a sudden death situation and the first contestant to achieve any score wins.
Hansoku: Disqualification
Andrew McWatt To Represent Team Scotland Judo at Birmingham 2022
Andrew McWatt from Garioch Judo club has been selected to represent Team Scotland in the +100kg category at the upcoming Commonwealth Games, following Christopher Sherrington's withdrawal. Sherrington was hoping to make a comeback at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games following double ACL surgery last year, however, he has had to withdraw from the games due to injury.
Commenting on the news, Judith McCleary, JudoScotland CEO said, “We are pleased that Andrew will be joining Team Scotland at Birmingham 2022 for his first Commonwealth Games. Although we are disappointed that Chris will not be returning to the upcoming Games to try and retain his title his well-being is the most important thing. We wish him a speedy recovery.”
Andrew added “I am feeling very excited to be competing at my first commonwealth games. Always an honour to represent my country, especially at an event like this. After returning to competition from injury early this year and in a new weight category I’m glad I have the opportunity to perform in Birmingham next week.”
The Judo competition will be taking place at Coventry Arena between the 1st – 3rd of August.
The Gathering Is Back with A Boom As We Celebrate Its 10 Year Anniversary!
JudoScotland is delighted that our flagship coach development event is back for its 10th Year. From its conception, the gathering has hosted some incredible guests from the world of Judo including Go Tsunoda, Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki and Hidetoshi Nakanishi, as well as homegrown talents such as Euan Burton and the Glasgow 2014 medallists.
This year will be no different, as we line up Three-time World Champion Masashi Ebinuma to lead a weekend full of Judo! We will also welcome a selection of other guests including Neil Adams MBE 9th Dan, Greg Valentine the lead physical preparation coach for JudoScotland and the sportscotland institute of sport, Dr Andy Dalziell, a child development specialist who co-designed the Better Movers & Thinkers programme. The content this year is designed to bring the new JudoScotland Player development Framework, launching in September, to life in a practical way.
But the Gathering is about so much more than what happens on the mat! Don’t just take our word for it, here is what last year's attendees had to say;
“I like the fact for me it’s the opportunity to learn from others whether it’s the world-class coaches or your Uke or others around on the Tatami, to learn and to have that shared experience. I also like how it’s the coming together of our Scottish Judo community (although it's open to all) to mutually benefit all and to meet, train, socialise and have some fun !!”
“A great opportunity to catch up with friends from other clubs, have a bit of a social and take part in excellently coached sessions.”
“Very good Judo sessions. There was a very friendly atmosphere all weekend. A nice venue. Everyone involved was approachable and helpful.”
Spaces are filling up fast for this year, so if you would like to be part of what is set to be an epic event, book your space now! For more information and to book your space click here.
Team Scotland Judo Competition Kit Unveiled
The Team Scotland Competition Judo Kit was today unveiled for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The unveiling took place as the Team prepares at their final training camp ahead of next week’s opening ceremony.
Glasgow 2014 Gold Medallist Kimberley Renicks to Join Team Scotland Ahead of Birmingham 2022
Team Scotland and JudoScotland have today announced that Glasgow 2014 Gold medallist Kimberley Renicks will join Team Scotland’s Judo team for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The announcement was made today as part of the JudoScotland competition kit unveiling as the Team prepares for their final training camp ahead of next week’s opening ceremony.
Kimberley heads into the Games on a high following a gold medal win at the Winterthur Senior European Cup last weekend, where fellow Team Scotland teammates Malin Wilson (-57kg), Rachel Tytler (-78kg) and Sarah Adlington (+78kg) also medalled.
Commenting on her selection, Kimberley said, “I am excited because it is my second Games, and I will be fighting at a different weight so it will be a different experience from Glasgow 2014. It was difficult through the Covid period, and I knew that fighting a weight above I would be up against two other athletes during qualification. I am happy to have been selected and I will try and go out with a bang.”
Kimberley (-52kg) will join a team of 11 Judoka representing Team Scotland following the withdrawal of Hannah Wood from the Games due to injury.