IJF President Mr Marius Vizer declared, "This training session, involving 200 judoka from across Chile, highlighted the close connection between judo and the Chilean navy, which has supported judo since its inception in the country. It also demonstrated the power of collaboration and the unifying values of judo."
It must be said that the deck of a navy ship is not the place where one is used to discovering a judo session. With a length of 168 metres and a width of 23.5 metres, the Sargento Aldea was transformed into a floating dojo of 500 square metres. The participants came from all over Chile.
The judo session, which was led by Sensei Yoshiki Ito, head national coach, aimed to demonstrate the unity and excellence of Chilean judo and highlighted the fundamental values of our sport such as mutual respect, discipline and perseverance.
While the event was surprising, it also served to illustrate the deep historical link between the Chilean navy and judo. In fact the roots of judo in the country date back to 1910 when the navy played a central role in the introduction of the sport to Chile. That year, Sensei Yunio Kawada from Japan began teaching judo at the Naval School in Valparaíso.
Over the years, this partnership has only blossomed, with the navy making judo a prominent part of its physical and mental training programmes. The Sargento Aldea training session celebrated this historic connection while highlighting the importance of maintaining strong ties between national institutions and sports organisations.
The success of the event on 15th December was made possible by notable public-private partnerships and strong collaboration with the Chilean Navy. It was supported by institutions such as the Chilean Olympic Committee and the private sector. It was also a great example of development that demonstrates the commitment of the national federation to foster the target of growth within the sport.
“This event represents the power of judo to unite peoples, institutions and nations,” said Marcelo Simian, President of the Chilean Judo Federation. "Through initiatives like this, we celebrate our history, highlight our progress and reaffirm our commitment to the future of judo in Chile and beyond."
Captain César Antonio Bate, Deputy Commander of the Sargento Aldea, said, "This was a very fruitful activity. The relationship with judo has great potential and represents an opportunity for our institution to demonstrate to the community the diversity of actions we carry out for the benefit of the country. We are grateful to the Chilean Judo Federation for trusting us."
The LSDH-91 Sargento Aldea provided both a symbolic and practical framework for this unprecedented initiative. The success of this session paves the way for future collaborations between the Chilean Judo Federation and national institutions.
