For three days, we have been witnessing competition of an excellent level, during which judoka from the four corners of the planet have competed. There is no small country. Everyone has a chance. If certain delegations demonstrate great dynamism and visibly have an effective structure for the development of veterans’ practice, we also discover that many others have understood the interest in offering everyone the possibility to both practise and perform.
One of the highlights of this championship so far is the friendship that shines throughout the competition. It is a fact that the rounds are heavily contested; nobody wants to concede defeat. However, this is done with respect. It is not uncommon at the end of the bouts to see the two judoka hugging each other, smiling, perhaps exchanging a few words, one saying to the other, "I didn't believe I could throw you anymore," the other responding, “You got me this time, but next it's going to be my turn,” with a big smile. Stepping off the tatami, we see the Frenchman encouraging the Kazakh, then Germany clapping the American's hand. There is a beautiful spirit that prevails.
For the fourth and final day of competition tomorrow, we will follow the last men's division and the women's categories. They are impatiently waiting to enter the competition! You can continue to follow the action at https://judotv.com/competitions/wc_vet2023/overview