The layers of competition do not begin and end with the Paris Olympic Games and so within each category in a grand slam can be found WJT debuts, those retiring and enjoying one last hurrah, those vying for number one status within their national teams, juniors overlapping their experiences in search of improvement, and of course those world class superstars honing their skills and confirming their superiority. Everyone is present.
The complexities are almost unending. Athletes build their technical range from their first day on a mat and that development never stops, from that day on. No two judoka will ever be identical, each judoka is as unique as a fingerprint, identifiable by analysing their individual abilities and trends. Similarities occur, of course, but a judo twin will never be found even in families where siblings have emerged through the same system and with the same coaches.
In the 100m sprint, in an Olympic final, an expert can find deviation from the expected uniformity. Stride length, head position, ground reaction force, all can be refined to produce a line of athletes aiming at fitting into a box, a recognisable box. Judo is as far removed from that as possible with each judoka looking to train their differences from each other, to be experts at their own individual set of skills and tactics. Standing out is the aim.
Coaches look for ways to help their judoka stretch their heads above the parapet. Judoka build their base and then diversify. At events, each judoka has a set of goals and skills totally unique to them. It’s unpredictable and complex. It’s hard and it’s artful. It brings probabilities but no guarantees.
The Olympic race continues but underneath it are levels and layers ad infinitum, goals and achievements, self-discovery and team spirit, all coming together to create the most beautiful but most challenging sport in the world.