David Di Filippo, a 6th-dan judoka from Val-d’Oise, enters the World Championships in Sarajevo as a top seed with the goal of securing a global medal. Competing in the Itsutsu-no-kata discipline alongside partner Christian Boisfer, Di Filippo currently holds a world ranking of No. 5.
Di Filippo’s Path to the Sarajevo World Championships
The tandem of David Di Filippo and Christian Boisfer arrives in Bosnia and Herzegovina following a series of high-profile international results. After finishing 11th at their first World Championships in Paris in 2025—a result Di Filippo attributes to a difficult group draw containing the eventual first and second-place finishers—the pair shifted their momentum through the global circuit.
Recent performances supporting their No. 5 world ranking include a victory at the Meximieux National Open and second-place finishes at both the Louvain World Series and the Madrid European tournament. The duo also secured a fourth-place finish at the European Championships, establishing them as primary contenders for the podium in Sarajevo.
The Technical Demands of Itsutsu-no-kata
Di Filippo serves as the tori (the practitioner executing the technique) in the Itsutsu-no-kata, one of seven recognized judo katas. This specific form was the first designed by judo founder Jigoro Kano and is a requirement for those seeking the 7th dan rank.
According to Di Filippo, the Itsutsu-no-kata is not merely a sequence of movements between the tori and the uke (the receiver of the technique), but a philosophical exploration of the art. The kata consists of five techniques that represent fundamental universal principles: circular movement, flow and reflux, the avoidance of an attack, rotation, and the meeting of forces.
Five Decades of Judo Experience
The 56-year-old Eaubonnais began his training at age six under his father, Serge, at the Arts Martiaux de Saint-Gratien club. His competitive career in combat judo spanned several decades, including a second-place finish in the -65 kg cadet category at the French Championships in 1987 and a seventh-place finish in the -71 kg category at the French Military Championships in 1995.
Since 1995, Di Filippo has balanced his competitive pursuits with instruction and administration. He teaches judo at ASJ Champagne-sur-Oise and works as a physical education teacher at Lycée Louis-Armand in Eaubonne. His leadership roles include serving as the head of the judo culture and kata commission for the Val-d’Oise judo committee and acting as a kata trainer for the Île-de-France League.
International Standing and Recent Form
The transition to international kata competition began in 2025 when Di Filippo partnered with Christian Boisfer, a fellow trainer from Aclef Paris. Their rapid ascent in the rankings is reflected in the following recent results:
- World Ranking: No. 5
- European Championships: 4th Place
- World Series (Louvain): 2nd Place
- European Tournament (Madrid): 2nd Place
- Meximieux National Open: 1st Place
- 2025 World Championships (Paris): 11th Place
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