The Brunei Darussalam National Judo Federation (BDNJF) received a visit from Julien Brulard, the mastermind behind the Judo Nomad project last weekend.
The French-born judo advocate is embarking on an independent mission to travel and connect with the 197 countries affiliated under the International Judo Federation (IJF) with as fewest flights as possible.
Julien, who provides coaching voluntarily, envisions a world map identifying all the clubs so judokas around the world can get in touch with and visit dojos in the respective countries.
He has 26 years of judo experience under his belt and has worked with 20 national teams, from beginners to Olympic-level athletes.
His recent appointment was serving as a coach for the Vanuatu national team in the Paris Olympics last year.
The 31-year-old has also been teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and nogi for the last couple of years.
So far, he has visited 44 countries, with a small island in the Philippines as his next destination.
His latest stop took him to Brunei Darussalam as part of an itinerary that included a motivational talk, an instructor seminar as well as two open seminars.
The open seminars held separately mainly focused on fundamental strategies and competition strategies.
On the judo scene in Brunei, Julien said that despite the BDNJF being young, it is flourishing and growing in the right direction.
He said that camaraderie among the players plays an imperative role in developing the sport, adding that he is happy to see the judokas being supportive of each other.
The Frenchman’s visit will be beneficial in the growth and development of the sport in the country particularly in upgrading the skills of the practitioners. – Fadhil Yunus
