So early in the year judoka would normally prepare to go to Austria’s Training Camp in Mittersill or in Italy. Last year the first athletes flew to Qatar to fly to the IJF World Masters in Doha, the first IJF event in the World Tour, now we will have to wait for the end of January when the IJF Tour takes place in Odivelas. All the time to stay with family in a time that countries are suffering or recovering from the pandemic.
We wish a happy birthday to Israelian judoka Peter Paltchik who didn’t have the best season last year. Still he won an Olympic medal with the Israelian team in Tokyo. But the season went differently then he expected. It started pretty well with a final spot in Tel Aviv despite a silver medal a good start of the season after he had won a bronze medal at the opening Masters in Qatar. However those were the medals of Paltchik who was so strong in 2019 and 2020. Paltchik won European title in 2020 in Prague and bronze in 2018 at the Europeans in Tel Aviv.. He finished seventh at the Tokyo Games in the individual tournament and will be determined to stay connected with the top athletes U100kg in 2022. He turned 30 today.
39 year old Assmaa Niang from Morocco used to fight for France but switched for the Olympic dream. She won the Grand Prix in Düsseldorf U70kg in 2014. She won five African titles She finished fifth at the 2018 World Championships in Baku. She took bronze at the Grand Slam of Ekaterinburg in 2019. Despite her age she still competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Kosovo judoka Akil Gjakova became European Champion in 2021 as first Kosovan man ever. The 26th year old fighter finished seventh at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Akil won the Grand Slam in Paris in 2019 and Grand Prix gold in Zagreb in 2018 and Budapest in 2019. Akil Gjakova won about all European titles as he was European Cadet Champion in 2013 and Akil became U23 European Champion in Gyor in 2018. He was flagbearer at the 2020 Olympic Games for Kosovo.
Austrian judoka Laurin Boehler is suffering from a range of knee injuries. Austria’s hope U100kg couldn’t compete at the Olympic Games. Today he turned 27. Boehler won Austrian titles as cadet, junior and U23 and added the Austrian senior title since 2015. He won bronze at the Grand Slam in Düsseldorf in 2019 but not much later his knees started to give him huge trouble.
Danish judoka Tommy Mortensen turned 56, He participated in the -65kg category in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Tommy was the second judoka to represent Denmark at the Olympic Games. He trained at Kendal in England, Tokai University in Japan and many other places. At Kendall his head coach was Tony MacConnell. Nowadays he has a full-time job is as a schoolteacher. Tommy teaches Danish, sports and history. He has an artificial hip one side.
Fadi Darwish was one of Syria’s best judoka. He is a Syrian descent and fled to the Netherlands and became judo coach at Kenamju club.Sanda Aldass, Ahmad Alikaj and Muna Dahouk are accompanied by their coach Fadi Darwish at the Olympic Games. Fadi celebrates his 38th birthday with new friends. He has the 3rd dan, he participated three times at the Asian Games (2006, 2010, 2014). Fadi won gold at the Arab Championships (2002) and West Asia Championships (2008). He won bronze at the Asian Championships (2009), and bronze at the Mediterranean Games (Pescara-2009). Fadi was national champion of Syrië from 1996-2013 in a row, mostly fighting U60kg.