Born on February 8, 1991, in Zevenhuizen (Netherlands), Kim Polling first made a thunderous entrance. Paris, February 10, 2013. A clamor in the warm-up area. On the giant screen, the unthinkable. Lucie Décosse, Olympic title holder and winner of the last two World crowns, six-time winner of the French Grand Slam, had just been lifted […]
Kim Polling – This Girl Was on Fire Read More »
[FRA – Cet article est une traduction en anglais d’une brève publiée en février 2015 sur le site Internet du bimestriel français L’Esprit du judo. Revenue sur le circuit international début 2022 après une éclipse de près de huit années, la -48 kg désormais âgée de 35 ans, qui combat à présent sous les couleurs
Hasta Luego María Celia Laborde (2015) Read More »
Born Fiodor Nikolayevich Tselídi on August 5, 1996, in Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia-Alania, Russia), the Greek Theódoros Tselídis came to judo late, at fourteen years old. It was in 2011, the year of the coronation of his near-lookalike from Dagestan, Tagir Khaybulaev from the U100kg category, but also of the second of three world titles for Ilias
Theódoros Tselídis – Between Greater Caucasus and Aegean Sea Read More »
Born on August 17, 1965 in Lyon 4th district (France), Pierre Neyra is blowing out both his sixty candles and celebrating his half-century license in this year 2025. Technical director of the Ain department for three decades, the Saint-Denis Dojo instructor has added another string to his fourth dan bow in recent years: numerous trips
Pierre Neyra – About a Corner of France and Judo as It Is Taught There Read More »
In the bright days of 2025, Joan-Benjamin Gaba (U73kg) and Inal Tasoev (O100kg) achieved more than just becoming World champions in their respective categories. The two judokas took a risk by stepping outside the box in a way that was not obvious given the codes of the discipline that made them kings: the Frenchman released
Joan-Benjamin Gaba and Inal Tasoev – Mindset Matters Read More »
Born on February 17, 1974 in Chisinau (USSR until 1991, Moldova since), Vitalie Gligor is one of those precious encounters that judo word-of-mouth makes possible. It goes back to autumn 2023, on the occasion of an extraordinary exchange with the all-too-rare Andrzej Sadej from Judo Canada. The initial topic concerned the sustanable development of judokas.
Vitalie Gligor – “The Road Takes the One Who Walks” Read More »
[FRA – Cet article est une reprise de la version anglaise d’un papier publié en octobre 2014 dans le bimestriel français L’Esprit du judo. Cette version anglaise a été mise en ligne cet automne-là sur l’ancienne version du site Internet de l’EDJ, mais n’était plus visible depuis la mise à jour dudit site à l’automne
A Summer with Marti Malloy (2014) Read More »
“And it is an old country, France, from an old continent like mine, Europe, that tells you this today, which has known wars, occupation, barbarity…” These words went down in history on February 14, 2003, during the speech to the UN Security Council by the French Foreign Minister of the time. The debate concerned the
From an Old Continent – Episode 1/13 – Summer 2025 Read More »
Born on June 26, 1994 in Montreal (Canada), Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard has become over the seasons, with her Olympic bronze in 2021, her two World finals in 2022 and 2025 and her nine podiums since 2015 at the Pan American Championships and Games, one of the leaders of the tremendous generation of Canadian judokas who emerged
Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard – The Rank of Big Sister Read More »
