Judo, also known as judo in European Portuguese, is a martial art of Japanese origin. Derived from the Japanese term “jūdō” (柔道), which means “gentle way” or “way of softness”, judo is practiced as a combat sport with the main objective of promoting physical, mental and spiritual strengthening in an integrated way, as well as developing effective self-defense skills. How about sticking around to find out more about the sport and who the biggest names in judo today?
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Read on to find out who the biggest names in judo today are!
Biggest names in Judo today: historical context
Unlike other disciplines whose origins are often uncertain, judo has an unquestionable origin: it was developed by the Japanese Jigoro Kano.
At the age of 23, after studying the techniques of jiu-jitsu in depth, Kano selected, adapted and refined various blows from this martial art, eliminating the most dangerous ones. Thus, he created a new form of fighting, called “judo”.
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In 1882, he founded the Kodokan Institute, where he emphasized not only the technical development of practitioners, but also their spiritual growth, following Eastern teachings that value the idea that giving in is often necessary to achieve victory.
Four years after the Kodokan Institute was founded, in 1886, a competition took place between various fighting schools in Japan, organized by the Japanese Police Academy to select instructors.
The Kodokan athletes dominated the competition, proving the effectiveness and merit of Kano’s martial art. This success helped judo spread rapidly throughout Japan.
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Judo spread internationally when Jigoro Kano introduced it to England on his visits from 1899, and also through the efforts of masters G. Koizumi and Yukio Tani.
In 1902, it arrived in the United States with a demonstration for President Frankling Roosevelt. It was then taken to France in 1905, spreading throughout Europe and eventually the world.
In Brazil, judo was introduced by Eisei Maeda in 1922, with performances in Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
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Despite the efforts of Maeda and other masters, judo took a few years to become popular in Japan.
In 1938, a group of Japanese led by Riuzo Ogawa founded the Ogawa Academy, marking the beginning of the sport’s popularization in Brazil.
The Brazilian Judo Confederation (CBJ) was established on March 18, 1969.
At the Munich Olympics in 1972, Chiaki Ishii, a Japanese naturalized Brazilian, won the bronze medal in the middleweight category, becoming the first judoka from Brazil to win an Olympic medal.
This was the first chapter in a story that includes 19 Olympic medals won by Brazilian judo to date.
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Biggest names in Judo today: rules
Judo is governed by a detailed set of rules designed to ensure the safety of competitors and the fairness of competitions. Here are the main points:
Competition Area
Fights take place on a 10m x 10m mat (fighting area), with an additional safety zone around it.
Fight time
Fights last 4 minutes for men and women at senior level. In the event of a draw, the fight goes to the Golden Score, where the first to score a point wins.
Scoring
Ippon: a full point that ends the fight instantly. It can be achieved with a perfect throw, 20-second immobilization or submission.
Waza-ari: half a point. Two waza-aris equal one ippon.
Yuko: lower score (no longer used in official competitions since 2017).
Allowed techniques
Throws: techniques for projecting the opponent to the ground.
Immobilizations: keeping the opponent immobilized on the ground for a specific time.
Chokes and Arm Wrenches: only applicable to black belt competitors and in more advanced weight categories.
Penalties
Shido: warning for minor infractions, such as passivity or inappropriate grips.
Hansoku-make: disqualification for serious infractions, such as dangerous techniques.
Biggest names in Judo today (Male – World)
Teddy Riner (France)
One of the most dominant judokas in history, with ten world titles and two Olympic gold medals.
Shohei Ono (Japan)
Two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion, known for his technical and powerful style.
Hifumi Abe (Japan)
World and Olympic champion, renowned for his fast and precise techniques.
Biggest names in Judo today (Female – World)
Clarisse Agbegnenou (France)
Multiple world and Olympic champion, dominating the 63kg category.
Daria Bilodid (Ukraine)
The youngest judo world champion, standing out for her technique and agility.
Uta Abe (Japan)
World and Olympic champion, known for her precision and strength.
Biggest names in Judo today (Male – Brazil)
Rafaela Silva
Gold medalist at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, competing in the up to 57kg category.
Daniel Cargnin
Promising Brazilian judo player who has already won medals at the World and Pan-American championships.
Biggest names in Judo today (Female – Brazil)
Mayra Aguiar
Two-time Olympic medalist and multiple world champion in the up to 78kg category.
Ketleyn Quadros
The first Brazilian to win an Olympic medal in judo (bronze in Beijing 2008).
Which athletes have the best chance of winning medals at the Paris 2024 Games?
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, several Brazilian judokas are among the favorites to win medals in both the men’s and women’s disciplines.
Women’s Judo
- Rafaela Silva (up to 57kg)
- Mayra Aguiar (up to 78kg)
- Beatriz Souza (over 78kg)
Men’s Judo
- Rafael Silva “Baby” (over 100kg)
- Daniel Cargnin (até 73kg)
- Guilherme Schmidt (up to 81kg)
In addition to these names, the Brazilian team also has other talented athletes such as Larissa Pimenta (up to 52kg) and Rafael Macedo (up to 90kg), who could also shine at the Paris Games
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