Lutalo Muhammad worked in prime position in the Champs-De-Mars arena, interviewing judo’s Olympians just seconds after their contests, broadcasting and recording for Eurosport in those vulnerable moments when the devastation of loss or the joy of winning are first felt and processed. The intensity of those days in Paris should not be underestimated and for Lutalo there’s been a huge impact and the exploration of a new-found obsession for judo.
“It really did set my brain on fire. I had a massive respect for judo growing up. I was a big fan of Neil Adams when I was a child and judo was an inspiration, one of the strings of inspiration that led me to a career in martial arts. My dad always said I could make it in Tae Kwon Do, like Adam’s did in judo."
"When I competed in London, I remember Teddy being this giant but from afar. From inside the arena, watching, ringside and live in Paris, was the experience of a lifetime. You really have to be there and feel the atmosphere."
"The Olympic judo competition couldn’t have been any better. Superstar wins and losses, tears of devastation and of joy. Being that close and interviewing athletes 25 seconds after they’ve secured their biggest achievement, I fell in love with the Budo of judo. The respect and the bowing and all those specific parts of judo added to the flavour and character of the tournament. It felt like one of the best Olympics judo has had. For a first timer like me, what better way was there to be introduced to the sport than that? And then that mixed team final, wow!
I have dived straight into work on the mats since Paris and have joined a wonderful judo club in London, Ealing Judo Club. I met one of their members at the Rio 2016 Games, Nekoda Davis, while I was still competing in Tae Kwon Do but now I’m a member of the same club! I’ve so appreciated the welcome of the judo family. Even with extensive experience in martial arts like me, it’s daunting to walk into a new environment but they’ve eased me in. The team, training partners and coaches have been so warm. I almost feel bad because they allow me to throw them over and over again."
"The inspiration from the Games has carried me through to this point. I knew I was a big fan while I was in Paris but I’ve become even more in love with judo since; it’s become a bit of an obsession! My parents are buzzing with it too. The respect I have for judo really stemmed from my dad’s knowledge of, a man who helped to make martial arts accessible and visible. They love that I’m now doing another martial art, having retired from elite competition in Tae Kwon Do and I guess it keeps me out of their hair too!”
Lutalo’s new-found obsession is a fantastic example of the legacy of Olympic judo, the warmth of the worldwide judo family and the magnetic side of the Olympic Games. Who wouldn’t want more of all that goodness?! Lutalo is hunting improvement, education, intensity, skill and community in a whole new way thanks to his brief contact with the Olympic tournament in Paris. This is a perfect example of why judo’s roots remain so sturdy; judo hits both hearts and minds and everyone can be part of it.
*All photos courtesy of Lutalo Muhammad.