Judo, a martial art created in Japan by Jigoro Kano in 1882, arrived in Brazil in the early decades of the 20th century, brought by Japanese immigrants. One of the main people responsible for spreading the sport in the country was the judoka Mitsuyo Maeda, known as Count Koma, who settled in Belém do Pará and began teaching judo around 1915. Today you’ll learn more about the sport and meet all the best judokas in the world today!
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Read to the end to find out about the best judokas in the world today.
The practice of judo grew in the Japanese communities in Brazil, especially in São Paulo and Paraná.
In 1969, the Brazilian Judo Confederation (CBJ) was founded, responsible for organizing and regulating the sport in the country.
Since then, Brazil has stood out on the international stage, especially in competitions such as the Olympic Games, where Brazilian judo has won several medals.
Best judokas in the world today: rules, disciplines and curiosities
The rules of judo are established by the International Judo Federation (IJF). Some of the main rules include:
- Objective: the objective of judo is to knock your opponent down, immobilize them on the ground, or force them to give up through strangulation or armlock techniques.
- Points: competitors can win by ippon (full point), which is achieved by performing a perfect technique; or by waza-ari (half point), when the technique is partially well executed. Two waza-aris equal one ippon.
- Fight time: Fights last four minutes in men’s and women’s judo, and there may be an extra time (Golden Score) if there is no winner in normal time.
- Penalties: Fouls are penalized with a shido (warning). Three shidos result in defeat by hansoku-make (disqualification).
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Judo disciplines
Judo is practiced in a number of different disciplines:
- Individual competition: the most common form of competition, where two judoka face each other in a straight fight.
- Team judo: a competition format in which teams of judoka face each other, each with a representative in different weight categories.
- Kata: consists of a demonstration of judo techniques and principles, performed in pairs. It is less competitive and more focused on tradition and technique.
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Curiosities about judo in Brazil
- Judo was the sport that gave Brazil its first women’s Olympic medal, with judoka Rosicléia Campos at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
- Aurelio Miguel was the first Brazilian to win a gold medal in judo at Seoul 1988.
- Brazil is one of the countries with the most Olympic medals in judo and has established itself as a world power in the sport.
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Best judokas in the world today – Men
Teddy Riner (France)
- History: Considered one of the greatest judokas of all time, Riner is an icon of the sport.
- Titles: Two-time Olympic champion (2012, 2016) and 10-time world champion.
- Fun facts: Teddy Riner is known for his unbeaten record, going almost 10 years without losing a fight.
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Shohei Ono (Japan)
- History: Ono is one of the greatest judokas in the lightweight category (73 kg), famous for his impeccable technique.
- Titles: Two-time Olympic champion (2016, 2020) and three-time world champion.
- Fun facts: Known for his seoi-nage technique, Ono is admired for his precision and skill on the mat.
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Lukas Krpalek (Czech Republic)
- History: Krpalek is a versatile judoka, competing in different weight categories.
- Titles: Olympic champion in two different categories (100 kg in 2016, and +100 kg in 2020).
- Fun facts: He is the first judoka to win Olympic titles in two different weight categories.
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Hifumi Abe (Japan)
- History: Hifumi Abe is one of the youngest judokas to dominate the 66 kg category.
- Titles: Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion and two-time world champion.
- Fun facts: Abe is the brother of fellow Olympic champion Uta Abe, and they both come from a family of Japanese judo prodigies.
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Best judokas in the world today – Women
Clarisse Agbegnenou (France)
- History: Clarisse is one of the most dominant judokas in the 63 kg category.
- Titles: Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion and five-time world champion.
- Fun facts: Agbegnenou is known for her physical strength and refined technique, and is one of the biggest stars in women’s judo.
Uta Abe (Japan)
- History: Uta Abe is Hifumi Abe’s younger sister and has already earned her place in the judo elite.
- Titles: Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion and three-time world champion.
- Fun facts: Uta Abe and his brother made history by becoming the first siblings to win gold on the same day at the Olympic Games.
Jessica Klimkait (Canada)
- History: Klimkait is one of Canadian judo’s greatest hopes.
- Titles: World champion in 2021 and bronze medalist in Tokyo 2020.
- Fun facts: She is the first Canadian judoka to win a world championship.
Daria Bilodid (Ukraine)
- Story: Daria Bilodid is a young judo prodigy, known for her agility and technique.
- Titles: Two-time world champion at the age of 18 and 19, and bronze medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
- Fun facts: Bilodid is the youngest judo world champion, winning the title at the age of 17.
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