[Judo Club]2022 All Japan Student Judo Championships by Weight Category Results & Post-Tournament Interview

We are pleased to report the results of the 2022 All Japan Student Judo Weight Category Tournament held on Saturday, October 1st.

Madoka Takasu (Doho University) VS 〇Uchimata Moe Hosoya (Teikyo University)

Lost in first round

Thanks for your great amount of support. We lost in the first round, but thanks to you, we were able to fight until the end.
Looking back on the six months since I took over as manager in April until this tournament, I can only admire how well Takasu did. The practice environment changed completely in April, and I think it took some time to get used to it, and as captain of the 4th grade, I also had the responsibility of leading his juniors. Although he did not have much time to practice due to teaching practice, employment exams, and an ankle injury, he worked hard to face judo as much as possible and decided to participate in the national tournament for the first time. Seeing them compete at the Nippon Budokan gave me and my juniors motivation for next year’s match.
Takasu finished his last match as a student at this tournament. I hope that she will make use of the experience she has gained in the Doho University judo club and do her best in the next stage. I will never forget the majestic figure that Takasu showed at the national tournament, and the frustration and admiration that I felt when I saw the strong players from all over the country.
Thank you for your continued support.

Director Akitoshi Naito

[Interview with Takasu after the tournament]

– First of all, thank you for your hard work. Please look back on the national tournament and tell us how you feel now.
At the national tournament, I couldn’t advance the match as I wanted due to my lack of ability, and I lost. I still feel frustrated, but more than that, I am happy that I was able to stand in the national tournament.

– What was the national convention like?
Nippon Budokan, which is a place that many people aim for, felt very big. The players around me were all strong people, so when I entered, the atmosphere was more tangy than usual, and I was able to tighten myself up. I have experience in the national tournament as a team, but it was my first time playing as an individual, so I was very nervous about having to compete on my own.

－Were you able to meet any of your friends or acquaintances that you mentioned in the pre-tournament interview?
yes. We were able to talk. Before the match, when I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the venue, I was told to “enjoy it”, which made my heart feel lighter. In addition, acquaintances who participated in the same weight class encouraged each other, saying, “Let’s definitely win and fight!”

－What does judo mean to you, Mr. Takasu?
Judo has had a great influence on me in many ways.
I’ve been doing judo since I was in nursery school, and it’s become a matter of course. It was so central to my life that I couldn’t imagine myself not doing judo. Of course, there were some hard times, but I am grateful to judo for giving me so many encounters and memories. I think that some of the encounters I made in judo will continue into the future, and many experiences have enriched my life.
In addition, I think that it had a good influence on the aspect of personality formation. This is because I was praised for being “polite” at my part-time job and practice, and I think this is thanks to the thorough instruction I received in Judo. Also, I think I was able to train my mental side through judo. When I was in junior high and high school, the practice was tough and there were many times when it was difficult, but it was precisely because of the hardships that I was able to acquire the strength to overcome things, such as my unwavering spirit and perseverance.

-Is there anything you would like to tell your juniors?
The juniors came to support me at this year’s national tournament, and said, “It was a great experience to be brought here.” Next year, when I get used to my work, I want to come and teach, so I want to say, “Please take me to the national tournament next year.”
I think they learned a lot from watching me and other players at the national tournament, and I want them to aim higher than me.

－Finally, please tell us something about judo during your four years at university.
The fact that the number of participants was small was a big difference from before, and I was confused at first, and there were times when I couldn’t practice as I had hoped. However, with the cooperation of my high school teachers, I practiced with high school students, and the coach and juniors came to visit me. Thanks to the many people who supported me, I think I was able to participate in the national competition this time. It’s not just my own ability, but I’m happy that my hard work has been rewarded in the end, and I think it’s also a way to give back to the people around me. I’m really glad that I was able to do judo at Doho University for four years, with so many people cheering me on.

Thank you all for your support.

Thank you for your continued support of the Doho University judo club.