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Judo, meaning “the gentle way” in Japanese, originated from the martial arts techniques developed over thousands of years at Jujitsu schools. Unlike most martial arts, Judo’s focus is on using your opponent’s strength to your own advantage.

Judo was invented by Dr Jigoro Kano in the 1880s and is best described in his own words:

“When a stronger man pushes against me with all his might, I will be beaten if I simply go against him. If instead of opposing his pushing, I retreat more than he pushes, or turn aside from the direction of his pushing, he naturally leans forward through his own pushing and loses balance…” (From Jigoro Kano, What is Judo? Kodokan, 1947)

From 1909, Kano was an active member of the IOC and a close associate of Baron Coubertin. Judo was introduced to the Olympics in 1964 at Tokyo, with the Japanese winning three of the four weight classes introduced! Women’s Judo was added to the Olympic program in 1992.