Judo club visits Japan
Woy Woy Judo Club sent a team to Japan to compete in the Okayama Goodwill Games on July 9.
The team comprised nine players, three coaches and four supporters, sponsored by local businesses.
The contingent flew to Osaka, then took a three hour bus trip to Okayama City, where they stayed at Kurozumi Shintozan Temple for nine days.
The temperature was 28 to 32 degrees each day with high humidity.
The team and coaches trained for four hours each day, except the day of the Games, at various dojos.
"As judo is one of Japans many major Olympic sports, their mat area for training was of very high quality," said club secretary Mrs Lindy Simmons.
The team had a training session with the silver medallists in Kata, the precision of throws necessary for obtaining a black belt and trained twice at the high school with the current national champions.
Two of the players, Daniel Simmons (16) and Sean Cole (15), were interviewed by local television at the Goodwill Games, while other team members were filmed during their bouts.
The contest was run in three rounds of age and weight category.
The first round Woy Woy lost 5-4. The second round was also lost, 7-4. The last round was a tie 5-5.
Everyone attending was invited to eat traditional Japanese food and take in the scenery.
Okayama Judo Club expressed its wish to keep strong ties with Woy Woy and will return the visit in August next year, their second visit since 1999.
With the opening of the new Peninsula Community Centre in December 2001, the Peninsula will be able to host its own Goodwill Games.
Japanese training techniques have been put to use since the clubs return to Woy Woy and on Sunday, July 29, a team of 14 returned from St Marys RSL Youth Club in St Mary's with six gold, six silver and two bronze medals.
Club newsletter, August 8