"Somehow I was overwhelmed by so many emotions. It's the first time I have come to a veteran event and I didn't know what to expect. I must say that I am really happy I could come and enjoy some beautiful judo. Of course, I was happy to cheer for our Austrian judoka but as I am currently living in the USA, in Hawaii, I was also very interested in the performances of the American athletes. Generally speaking, I really enjoyed following everyone.
I had the honour of presenting some medals and was especially proud to award some to Austrian medallists. I was really moved to see how emotional they were to step on the podium. This makes me believe that this event is something special.
All competitors are really excited to be here and they all prepared really well to perform at the highest level, no matter the age category. It's also nice to see countries such as Angola giving their best to be on top of their game. Kazakhstan and Mongolia are also interesting to follow. We know them for their great achievements on the World Judo Tour but seeing them getting really good results at the veteran level is somehow a good sign for the whole judo community. It's not only about top level senior judoka, it's about having a life within judo, from a young age and with no limit.
I must underline that having such an event in a location like this in Las Vegas is fantastic. It makes things so much easier for everyone. I also believe that the veterans really deserve exposure. When I was competing I was happy to have many events, where I could prepare for the big rendezvous. Some of the judoka here don't have many competitions to participate in, so when they arrive at the world championships, they discover many things. This generates emotions but I must say that I am impressed by their capacity to adapt. I am impressed by the physical condition of many judoka here too. They are fitter than many young people; it's so good to show that everything is possible.
Really it’s clear that they beautifully dedicate their lives to a goal. They all take it very seriously, managing their weight, respecting their injuries if any, they go to the gym. Of course age is a challenge but they don't care, they just do what they have to do.
After day 1, I met Sandy North (USA). He won this championship more than ten times. This is very impressive. He is so humble though. I was really moved by him and I think that it's good that judoka like him are recognised by the IJF. The organisation does a great job pushing the veterans forward.
Even if I don't think I will be likely to compete here one day, never say never. I want to pass on the message to my fellow judoka that the veteran movement is a great way of keeping active in the sport and in the community. Honestly, when I arrived here, it was more to be a witness, but after a few minutes, some judoka recognised me and came to me as the chair of the athletes commission. I was really happy to exchange with them. We can foster the co-operation between all our categories, something that’s very good for the development of the sport.
If I go back to the example of the Austrian judoka, in the past they were on their own, but now they are appreciated for who they are and what they do. This time, our federation supported the Austrian veteran athletes so they can feel part of the global judo community.
I want to underline as well that this world championship is a good experience for the referees who have the chance to work with different people and have a good taste of the international level. Really, so far it has a been a great experience to be here."
The competition is not over yet and there are many more categories to compete. Follow all the action on https://judotv.com/