Brunei Darussalam boasts a profound history of unearthing talents from various martial arts and combat sports over the years owed to a great participation and diverse skillset of local athletes in the international arena.
From an umbrella of martial arts, judo which originates from Japan has been slowly making a presence in the Sultanate.
The sport has been introduced since 1882 and is also one of the sports contained in the Olympics.
The sport gained nationwide recognition following the establishment of the Brunei Darussalam National Judo Federation (BDNJF) in April with the support, cooperation and assistance from the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports as well as the Ministry of Education.
During that short period, the sport has succeeded in attracting the interest of youth to learn more about the sport even though it is universally accepted.
To develop this sport, various programmes have been carried out, such as an exchange programme, a sport demonstration showcasing the basic forms and techniques of judo and seminars.
Among those who actively practice this sport is the Brunei Sports School Judo Academy. In addition to holding regular training, they also actively participate in competitions overseas.
In encouraging the growth and development of the sport in the country, the academy actively conducts training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the evening by welcoming public participation.
Building on this interest, the BDNJF has joined the Penang Invitational Judo Championship 2023 which was held in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, from December 9 to 10.
Despite being at an infancy compared to its experienced peers, the country was met with instant success as participation has yielded in amassing a historic gold medal, one silver and three bronze.
Leading the group of medallists was Mohd Farid bin Bujang who stood proudly on top of the podium with his gold medal in the men’s veteran under-73kg category.
He was joined by his compatriot Norhidayat bin Abdul on the podium with silver in the men’s veteran under-66kg category.
Meanwhile, the three bronze medals were won by Md Nur Hafizzan bin Kadir in the men’s veteran under-73kg category, Hajah Nuruljannah binti Haji Md Zamari in the women’s veteran under-57kg category and Md Wajdi Wa’ie @ Wafi bin Khairul Shaffarani in the men’s veteran under-66kg category.
Balancing a dual role as both the team manager and coach, Md Ali Rashid bin Haji Md Alipah remarked that the competition has led to increased confidence in the athlete’s training and development and served as a valuable experience.
With this kind of participation and exposure in addition to receiving adequate training and guidance as well as extensive experience, it is not impossible that the country’s athletes in judo will achieve more success in the future with cooperation and support from relevant parties. For those new to the sport, the meaning of judo derived from the word ‘ju’ which is weak or soft and the word ‘do’ which translates to path or way.
In general, people who follow this sport are called judoka and there are two terms for people who practice judo, namely tori as the person who performs the slamming technique and uke as the person who receives the action.
In the sport of judo, five divisions of techniques are found among which are tachi waza (arm slam technique), koshi waza (hip slamming technique), ashi waza (leg slamming technique), masutemi waza (slamming technique while falling down) and yoko sutemi waza (sacrifice technique).
A common technique used by a judoka is the tachi waza.
While judo is categorised as a fighting sport, research has also suggested that it carries many benefits for physical and mental health.
Judo involves body movements that require the use of all body muscle groups. Regular training in this sport can help strengthen muscles including the leg, arm and waist muscles.
In addition to the physical benefits of the body, it is proven that judo can help develop mental strength such as discipline, perseverance and self-confidence, while also reducing stress and anxiety. – FADHIL YUNUS
