A team of four from our club visited Leicester on a very hot Saturday to compete in the Southfields Judo Club Primary Open Championships. This club is highly regarded BJC club and this competition attracts entrants from far afield.
We came away with two Silver and two Bronze. A special mention to Alex and Arya who have never contested before and to Liam who has never contested outside of our own club.
Below are videos of some of the contests, both wins and losses. They are worth studying to see what works well and what does not. Particular attention to the times we lost and the lessons that can be learned from them will pay dividends in the long run.
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Video
Alex
Alex is thrown early on with an O Soto Gari and the opponent after a bit of a struggle manages to apply a Kesa Gatame. Alex struggles gamefully but is unable to escape and consequently looses this contest.
It should be pointed out that this is Alex's first ever competition. The experience is going to be useful but it can be rather daunting the first time.
Alex
Alex
Alex is managing this contest much better. He has better management of his opponent and when the opponent attempts an attack with Ippon Seoi Nage but fails they come to the floor and Alex manages to gain control but can not turn the opponent into a hold.
Upon restarting Alex manages a clumsy Uke Goshi but the opponent lands on his front so it doesn't score. Nevertheless it was a good attempt which Alex is unable to convert on the ground into a hold. When they restart again Alex in attacking allows his balance to be to far to the rear and as a result is taken down with an O Soto Gari which scores Wazari. The opponent struggles for a bit but does obtain a hold and with this the contest is won.
Alex
Alex
In this contest Alex is resisting the opponents attacks much better and can be seen to be also attacking himself. But he seems to be unable, probably through a lack of confidence in himself, to finish off. There is a strange 'dance' about half way through the contest and shortly after that the opponent manages to throw Alex with a clumsy Ippon Seoi Nage. He then gets Alex in a hold from which Alex struggles but does not escape.
Alex
Arya
Arya immediately attacks with an Ippon Seoi Nage. This does not succeed but Arya does have the upper hand in maintaining control of the opponent which keeps the opponent on the defensive. Arya continues with his attacks with primarily O Soto Gari but these do not result in any throw. The throw that does score Ippon is when Arya suddenly changes to Seoi Toshi and drops the opponent very nicely on his back. As this was Arya's first ever contest, very well done!
Arya
Arya
Arya continually makes a number of attacks, mainly Koshi Gurama and Ippon Seoi Nage although the odd Morete Seoi Nage and O Soto Gari also appear. However it is this last throw that scores the Wazari in the first part of the contest and after that the opponent increases his work rate with some efforts of his own. Arya continues and with a bit of a sloppy Ippon Seoi Nage gains a Yuko and then upon restarting loses part of this advantage when his opponent gains a Yuko with his own O Soto Gari. But in the latter stages of the contest Arya pulls of a nice Ippon Seoi Nage for Ippon thereby convincingly winning this contest.
Arya
Arya
Arya's opponent repeatedly attacks with Morete Seoi Nage or Ippon Seoi Nage but fails to make good body contact so the throw does not work. However, in an attempt at Ippon Seoi Nage a third way through the contest he does manage to roll down Arya for a Yuko score by virtue of just hanging on as he himself rolls down.
In the later half of the contest Arya does start to make his own attacks but these are not successful. The contest is won by the opponent by virtue of the single Yuko so well done to him. But as can be seen at the end, Arya gains the Silver medal because of his efforts in the other two contests and well done to him!
Arya
Jonah
Jonah is up against a clearly very strong opponent. They are both moving relatively slowly (for Jonah) but there is a lot of effort. At one point the opponent has his arm over Jonah's in what could end up as a throw with an armlock which is not allowed. But this does not happen. Jonah manages to bring the opponent down with a Te Waza (hand technique) which is not scored and then secures a hold. However he is unable to keep it on for long. Upon standing the opponent seems to have hurt his nose but is soon able to carry on.
Jonah's opponent tries to throw Jonah with his arm around the opposite shoulder but the referee stops the contest as he rules it a Kubi Nage (neck encirclement) which is a banned technique because of the risk of neck injury. Upon restarting Jonah makes some attacks but gets sloppy allowing his legs to cross over each other thereby compromising his balance. Jonah then tries for an Uchi Mata attack but the opponent steps in front of him and brings Jonah to the ground thereby scoring a Yuko. Upon restarting there is another attempt at a throw in what might be considered to be an armlock but the contest soon ends and it is the Yuko which gives the opponent the win.
Jonah
Jonah
Jonah does not look himself in this contest. His opponent is yanking him around all over the place and there is only defence from Jonah, no attacks. However, after about half a minute Jonah seems to regain his normal composure and does a much better job of maintaining control so that the opponents attacks are nullified.
At the half way point Jonah is thrown with O Soto Gari as a result of a flawed O Soto Gari attack of his own. This is scored with a Wazari although from the camera position it does not look like Jonah was properly on his back. There is an attempt to put Jonah in a hold but he escapes. For the rest of the contest Jonah continues to improve but loses due to another flawed O Soto Gari attack where he is countered with the same throw for a vicious landing which could be heard throughout the hall and scores Ippon.
Jonah
Jonah
Normally in contest Jonah is very much in control. The conclusion here must be that this was simply not Jonah's day. He is pushed all over the mat and struggles to take control until they end up on the ground where Jonah is clearly more in his element.
Upon restarting Jonah catches his opponent with a lovely Ko Soto Gari which is scored as Yuko. A few seconds later he does it again and even gets a hold but the opponent escapes almost immediately. Upon restarting Jonah only has to be defensive and protect himself. But his opponent catches him with a big Tai Otoshi which scores Ippon.
Jonah
Liam
Liam is up against a much taller opponent who attacks solely with a very unwise O Soto Gari because his balance is left to the back rather than bearing down on Liam. Not that Liam's attacks are much better. He must work on this as well as a wider variety of throws to use against different opponents.
The opponent does throw Liam with a score of Yuko but this is quickly nullified by Liam's own throw with the same technique for the same result. Liam does manage to get a hold on but can only hold it for a few seconds before the opponent escapes due to Liam's incorrect use of his legs. Around the half way mark of this contest Liam does gain another Yuko with O Soto Gari but is unable to capitalise with it on the ground. In the last quarter of the contest it looks like the opponent has scored another Yuko but this is not given by the referee so that Liam wins this contest with two Yuko's to one.
Liam
Liam
There is a lot of pulling around in this contest without much result. The attacks which are almost solely O Soto Gari are weak and do not break the opponents balance. Liam throws his opponent who lands on this side so the score would be Yuko at best. A short while later the opponent does the same although Liam only lands on his bottom. A few seconds later there is another attack by Liam and the opponent clearly lands on rear side so that should be worth a Yuko.
The opponent attacks with O Soto Gari and gets a throw which looks like the others but is scored Wazari. The opponent gains a hold straight away but bizarrely lets go. Shortly after this in a bit of a scramble they end upon the ground and Liam gains a hold but allows his foot to be trapped by the opponents legs which stops the hold from counting as he does not have control.
Liam gets another O Soto Gari throw in but this is not scored. Unfortunately we do not find out the result but we do know that Liam left the competition with a Silver so he must have lost this contest as he won the other two.
Liam
Liam
Liam's opponent tries to hold Liam away with straight arms whilst Liam attacks with his trademark O Soto Gari. Liam ends up on the floor and it is not clear if a Yuko is given. Liam does a convincing throw with O Soto Gari for what should be worth a Wazari at least but is only given a Yuko. Liam also obtains a hold but upon this being called by the referee, lets go of it for reasons that are not clear.
Upon restarting there are a number of fruitless attacks until the opponent breaks off grip and forces Liam to let go so that he can adjust his Judogi. Liam correctly, upon noticing that Matte has not been called regains his grip and continues. Then Liam makes another O Soto Gari attack which is not convincing and is not scored but does result in Liam gaining a hold with which he wins the contest.
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