This friendly competition showcased the inclusive spirit of judo, where no attention is paid to origin, skin colour, height or social status, where no discrimination has a place and where no-one is excluded due to their abilities. Judo unites people, cultures and nations.
Paulo Lino, Andre Vieira and Antonio Gomes, who have Down syndrome, were super excited to step on the mat to meet Bernardo Tralhao, bronze medallist at the junior European Cup Coimbra, Manuel Rodrigues, EYOF bronze medallist, and Sergiu Oleinic, Olympian in 2016. Andre explained, "This is super great, judo is so much fun.”
Antonio Costa, the coach of Paulo, Andre and Antonio, said, "They have been practising judo for many years; for instance Andre has been a judoka for the last 7 years. They all come from one club and they really enjoy the sport. We use judo to allow them to develop, to become more independent. Our sport, as a contact sport, helps them to deal with other people, to control their aggressiveness and agility. Judo is really the perfect fit for people with Down syndrome."
Thus before the opening speeches, the judoka stepped on the tatami. On one side, a blue team composed of Bernardo, Manuel and Sergiu, athletes who have dedicated their lives to high performance and in white, Paulo, Andre and Antonio, who everyday surpass themselves, evolving and striving through judo to contribute positively to society. In this clash of champions, suddenly differences faded away.
Following the team match, Mr Francisco Baptista, Sports Councilor of Odivelas Municipality took the floor, "Good afternoon everyone. I want to begin by extending a warm welcome to Odivelas and to all the participants of the Junior World Championships 2023: athletes, technical and medical teams, organisers and judo enthusiasts who have come during these five days of competition. It is a privilege for our municipality of Odivelas to host international competitions, especially when they involve youth categories and the sport of judo in particular. We aspire for Odivelas to be recognised as the judo capital of Portugal. As such we are pleased to have the Portuguese Judo Federation headquarters in our municipality and we have made every effort to host national and international events, including these championships. I am confident that over the next few days, more than 500 athletes will show their abilities, talent and competitiveness. They will also set an example of resilience, humility and sportsmanship, qualities that we always aim to foster in our community of judo players. I extend my gratitude to everyone involved in this magnificent organisation with a special mention for the President of the federation and his team. This will be a world class event of excellence. Long live judo, long live sport. Long live the municipality of Odivelas.”
Mr Sergio Pina, President of the Portuguese Judo Federation declared, "Good afternoon. Dear judo family, it was an honour for our federation to organise the Junior World Championships 2023. 68 countries are present, 541 judoka. 2023 will be a year of good memories for our federation. We organised a grand prix, the 2023 European Cadet Championships, three European cups and a referee seminar. Thank you to everyone, who contributed to the organisation of these events. I wish a lot of success to everyone. I hope to see you in Portugal again. Thank you very much."
Mr Vladimir Barta, IJF Head Sport Director, concluded, "Dear judo fans and judo family, on behalf of the International Judo Federation and President Marius Vizer, we are pleased to welcome you to Odivelas, Portugal, for the 2023 edition of the Junior World Championships. The junior age category is the last step before the senior level and for that reason competing here is an important moment in the life of the future senior champions of the world and of the Olympic Games. I wish all participants a great competition and the best of luck. I declare the Junior World Championships Odivelas 2023, Portugal, open!"
Before the beginning of the final contests, the Portuguese and IJF anthems were played and then it was time for the medal contests!