Toma Nikiforov was born on 25 January 1993 in Schaerbeek, Belgium. Initially a robust sixteen-year-old cadet, we spent three days practicing uchi komi and randori together in May 2009 at the Maison du Judo in Lyon during the international training camp that followed the Tournoi de France. At the time, this was an essential stage […]
Toma Nikiforov – The Kalashnikiforov Years Read More »
Ahcène Goudjil, born on 22 February 1968 in Argenteuil (France), is one of the founding teachers we meet when we delve a little deeper into the Clarisse Agbégnénou phenomenon. The one who was in the coaching chair during the (brief) seasons at the national level of the future six-time world champion. This was the case, for
Ahcène Goudjil – In the Beginning was Teaching Read More »
Born on 20 December 1969 in Leigh (United Kingdom), Nigel Donohue was Performance Director of British Judo from 2013 to 2025. Our first meeting took place in Tel-Aviv in 2018, in the stands of the European Championships, after a week of reporting at the Wingate Institute near Netanya to understand the inner workings of the
Nigel Donohue – “Your Time is your Greatest Asset” Read More »
[FRA – Cet article est une reprise de la version anglaise d’un entretien mis en ligne en avril 2017 sur l’ancienne version du site Internet du bimestriel français L’Esprit du judo. Cette version anglaise n’était plus visible depuis la mise à jour dudit site à l’automne 2020. La voici à nouveau.] [ENG – This article
Sit and Talk with Tina Trstenjak and Clarisse Agbégnénou (2017) Read More »
Born on 8 May 1993 in Toulon (France), Anne-Fatoumata M’Baïro won the first of her nine senior national first division podiums to date at the end of 2012, at a time when French women in the O78kg category were struggling to make an impact on the international stage – the last European and World medals
Anne-Fatoumata M’Baïro – Of Time and a Lifetime Read More »
In the early spring of 2025, Teddy Riner and Valentin Houinato, each in their own way, made the news in post-Olympic judo. Two dojos, two moods. – JudoAKD#033. A French version of this article is available here. On the left, Teddy Riner, thirty-six years old on 7 April. Five individual and mixed Olympic
Teddy Riner/Valentin Houinato – Two Dojos, Two Moods Read More »
Born on 11 January 1974 in Chambray-les-Tours (France), Christophe Massina has been one of the most prominent coaches in the French judo team for two decades. In his previous life, he was also a European and world junior champion, a two-time French senior champion in the U73kg category in the days of Christophe Gagliano, Ferrid
Christophe Massina – Twenty Years Later Read More »
[FRA – Cet article est une reprise de la version anglaise d’un entretien mis en ligne en septembre 2016 sur l’ancienne version du site Internet du bimestriel français L’Esprit du judo. Cette version anglaise n’était plus visible depuis la mise à jour dudit site à l’automne 2020. La voici à nouveau.] [ENG – This article
Travis Stevens – “People forget about medals, only fighters remain” (2016) Read More »
Born on 30 October 1970 in Danvers, Massachusetts (USA), James ‘Jimmy’ Pedro has been a key figure in American judo for the past four decades. A consistent performer at major events – World Champion in the U73kg category in 1999, third at the Atlanta and Athens Olympics (after coming out of retirement for almost three
Jimmy Pedro – United State of Mind Read More »
