A nice firm summarize the path of judo athlete dall'Olimpiade Tokyo of 1964 to that of 2008 in Beijing.
Our history should actually start since May 1938 when, in Cairo, the International Committee discusses Olympic Games of 1940, meeting at which participates Jigoro Kano, with the secret hope of seeing his kodokan judo eligible for the Olympics.
Like Moses on Mount Nebo, Jigoro Kano had its Kami vision of the promised land: his "method judo, inaugurated the first half century in a room of the temple Eishoji, having wandered for more than forty years in the desert ' ignorance and misunderstanding is now approaching the universal recognition. But, as already God to Moses, Kami of Jigoro Kano not touching him, the promised land, his path must stop to the vision.
We all know it is gone. Jigoro Kano died of pneumonia on the ship Hikawa Maru in May 1938 during the return journey, and the hidden powers of evil come from the depths to the surface projection of break loose and for the men and women of the world begins harsh season of survival and judo, along with all the sports, falls into oblivion: primum live!
Ricacciata once the bad beast in the dark depths from which it withdrew in the emergency ended survive, we want to return to live and therefore, among other things, to talk about sports, to organize, practice.
In 1951 arrives the first championship of Europe, in Paris, with separate races for kyu, 1 °, 2 °, 3 ° dan, an open and a team, obviously male, without weight categories. For the record I would say that the French won everything!
In addition to the 1952 class are tested previous three weight categories - light, medium, maximum - and that Anton Geesink wins title in the race reserved for 1 ° dan.
Anton Geesink, a name intended to enter the history of judo athlete from every country and in every age.
In the third European in London, in 1953, returned to a single category and at the team. Anton Geesink sbaraglia the field while in the Netherlands itself as a team: the French monopoly is over!
The same Anton Geesink three years later, in 1956, on the tatami rooms in Ko-Kugi-Kan Tokyo for the first run of the World Championship and reaches the semifinals with Yoshimatsu will be the uchi-mata left the Japanese to close the road But to Dutch which will rise on the podium for the third marking tai-otoshi the French Courtine who, in turn, has been sidelined by Natsui: greeting, tai-otoshi right,
Ippon!
The first final between world Yoshimatsu and Natsui lasts 20 minutes and is the central Kyuzo Mifune arbitrator to award the victory to Natsui given that the two judges of chair, opposite opinion, Yoshimatsu see a winner and the other Natsui.
In 1958, the second World Championships, always open, with a forty participants. Geesink was beaten in the quarterfinal by an uchi-mata-gaeshi of Japanese Yamashiki which, in turn, will be dropped for decision by Kaminaga for entry in the final. Sone and Kaminaga, both of Meiji face for the second world title and at the limit of 20 minutes, it will still be a decision of the arbiter central Kyuzo Mifune to assign victory to Sone, but this time the verdict is easier . Fourth, and the first Europeans, the French Pariset.
Anton Geesink is training in Japan where, in addition to refine judo, learns the Japanese language.
And so we arrive at the third World Championships in 1961, the first outside Japan and where, if not in Paris!
Cinquantasette are the athletes who play an unlimited weight divided into four groups and, among these, three Italians: Nicola Storm, Remo Venturelli, Gino Zanchetta.
De Coubertin bursts of festive and enthusiastic audience.
In the first round came to the eighth and final Akio Kaminaga Anton Geesink, in the second Georges Harris (USA) and Takeshi Koga (Storm was eliminated from Kerr), in the third round Tong Lux-embourg Kim (Korea) and Remo Venturelli (l ' blue shows the decision on the Filipino Ignaccio on Outelet Belgian and French Grossain), in the fourth round, finally, No. Han-san (Korea) and Sone (Zanchetta exceeds the Hungarian and Brazilian Pozsar Shiho Sawa and then surrenders to Korean) .
In the quarter finals, Geesink returns the unanimous decision (the three arbitrators are Japanese) against Kaminaga but there are whistles of disapproval of the verdict; Koga leaves no room for strong black American Harris and fulmina with uchi-mata while in another two days Tong Kim Lux-embourg eliminates Venturelli with a morote-seoi-nage and Japanese Koji Sone, exceeding for waza-ari to uchi-mata other Korean Han No-San.
First semifinal between Geesink Koga and the limit of ten minutes with the Dutch giant that relies all'uchi-mata, and is about yet another attack makikomi concluded that the brand ippon to Japanese, in the second semifinal Sone must commit to all ten minutes of the reason for having only for decision, however deserved, the fiery Korean Kim Tong Lux-embourg.
Geesink has already eliminated two Japanese, and now is facing the third, Sone, the World champion in office!
Final scheduled on the edge of twenty minutes (six minutes the elimination, ten semifinals), the Dutch high 1.98 for 108 pounds (not 120 as some claimed) is tiratissimo, absolutely dry while the Japanese is high 1.83 for 98 kilos (but many seem heavier, declared).
Attacks on both sides with Geesink taking increasingly confidence (will be canceled a waza-ari absolutely valid) while Sone begins to doubt. An attack ko-soto-gari ago drop the Japanese firm that is a four-legged: serious mistake because Anton Geesink continues in the run and block.
The third world title is a European.
After Kaminaga Koga and it is up to Sone bow to sample Dutch: no two without three!
As already with the French in Europe, Anton Geesink touches to break the Japanese domination in the World; taboo dell'invincibilità of judoka of the Rising Sun is broken.
Enterprise historic!

Tokyo 1964
Changing regulations.
-- Four will be the weight categories: light (-68 kg), medium (-80 kg), maximum (+80 kg) and open (great victory of Italian managers with Aldo Torti and Alfonso Castles in the head)
-- Each nation may not submit more than four athletes and can not schierarne more than two in the same weight category.
-- Athletes will be grouped into poule and winners will eliminate directly.
-- The duration of the meetings is set at 6 minutes for the meetings poule; 10 minutes at meetings to direct elimination; 15 minutes for the finals.
Japanese executives and journalists are stirring: Geesink fight or not? (After his victory nell'ennesimo Championship of Europe had circulated the voice he wanted to retire). And if you fight, choose the category heavyweight or open?
The wound of defeat suffered in Paris in 1961, when the Dutch judoka has humiliated three Japanese samples, it is still open and how burns!
There are two parties. Isao Inokuma, great hope of Kodokan, only twenty years champion Japan, Geesink should meet in Paris, but an injury had to renounce the world and, according to many, is the only one capable of beating Geesink of life in the match.
Others Akio Kaminaga, three times champion Japan, being the most high-performance Inokuma and having already met, is the most suited to deal with the Dutch.
The coach Sone (see case of Meiji University) has no doubts: will Kaminaga the chosen!
The great day arrives. Isao Inokuma, deployed in heavyweights, he won the Olympic title as mentioned above, Takehide Natakani and Isao Okano and now it is up to Akio Kaminaga.
Already in the Japanese poule has the bad luck to happen with the Dutch: Geesink wins by decision and the morale of Kaminaga ends under heels. In the sample recoveries Japanese easily exceeds every opponent in the semifinal where land has to contend with German Klaus Glahn.
No problem for Geesink in the first semifinal, where liquid The Australian Borono-vskis in eleven seconds with a powerful sasae-tsuri-Komi-ashi, while the other semifinal Kaminaga effort not just to find the tai-otoshi winning the German Glahn.
And here they are again in the Olympic final of the "open" at stake with something far more important than a gold medal or an Olympic title although the honour of Japan judoistico, riscattando the shame of Paris 1961.
Sure Geesink advancing arms raised to the outlet, a incutendo fear now sfiduciato Kaminaga. Five minutes alternating stages and then the director sasae ago that the Japanese fall that is pardoned by (a waza-ari we could stay). Kaminaga it shakes and starts to attack with his tai-otoshi but not always with equal strength and decision and Geesink, who controls, take advantage of ineffective action to counter it, and bring it to earth immobilizzarlo in kesa-gatame before fifteen thousand ammutoliti spectators, to the emperor and his entire family with the faces of ice, and Inokuma Nakatani with Olympic gold neck and tears in the eyes, Sone and Matsumoto, the two coaches, head bowed.
I am thirty seconds interminable.
Two years and ten months of strategy, forty days pretattica nine minutes of fighting, that the psychological ordeal of Akio Kaminaga which is now blocked on the ground, taken prisoner of iron director, dazed by the screams of the public and the coaches, no more will to fight, pending is a voice of the arbiter that the ads ippon liberating and put an end the nightmare!
Anton Geesink arrived in Japan two months before dell'Olimpiade prepare for the best and, since circulating voice that Japanese engineers were chosen Inokuma, and parare trains to avoid the much renowned as fearsome seoi-nage sample of young Japanese. "Pretattica" would say today, as despite having already chosen, the technicians of the Rising Sun are not official statements. Geesink remains contrariato but continues to train at Tenri, away from reporters, with fellow Dutch, Korean with Kim and with our Storm Nicholas while in October, a few weeks before dell'Olimpiade, moves at the dojo Police imperial in Tokyo.
The pretattica of Japanese coaches also arrives to invite Geesink a specially organised training at a dojo Police where he ensured the presence of Kaminaga and Inokuma, Geesink went there but found only athletes "normal" and even the announced opponents' shadow and so it invents a sudden stomach ache and not change.
Only on October 7, two weeks before the Games, coach Matsumoto announces that the choice has fallen on Kaminaga. His voice is quiet, safe and air piglio pretty satisfied… (you play sample Dutch concentrate on making Inokuma).
The thirty second not ever end, the taking of Geesink is increasingly solid and the morale of Kaminaga increasingly weak and behold… finally the sound of the gong: "Ippon! Sore Made! "All done!
Geesink is raised away with a gesture imperative that the fans rise on the tatami to celebrate it, presents his hand to help Kaminaga to rise again.
The gaijin not only won one race, one country has humiliated!
The Japanese locker room is closed, and the people inside cries, the three gold medals won previously do not count anything. In a corner of Budokan's father Kaminaga said "My son will not take part in any more competition, the Japanese coach of Geesink, Michigami, known as anti-Kodokan, is perplexed" my desire to beat the Kodokan was made but is that Japan has lost… "
And 'true!
All true!
Anton Geesink violated the temple of judo, neocostruito Budokan, and Japan has lost face before the world sports world but Jigoro Kano took the biggest success: his kodokan judo from "Nihonden" - Japanese - has become finally, irreversibly Universal!
Invited to some Olympic competitions post with the secret hope of a revenge albeit partially consolatoria, Anton Geesink imperterrito continues to bastonare opponents: at Amagasaki, near Osaka, exceeds Masaharu Kato and Kenji Nakano, in Tenri, Nara near dominates Hiroyuki Hasegawa, in Fukuoka defeated a "hope" of Japan, Shoji Sakaguchi, and finally, in Nagoya, in front of six thousand spectators, humiliates Noboyuki Maejima.
"Pezo el tacon ch'el buso…"

Rio De Janeiro 1965
In the fourth World Championship in front of fifteen thousand spectators, Maracanà Zinho Anton Geesink is intended to find two other "big" Japanese Sakaguchi, who won the championship in Japan Matsunaga colossus that the head coach, Sone always, always him, once again preferred to smaller and lighter Inokuma.
Geesink, having eliminated, among others, Seiji Sakaguchi for a lead of tomoe-nage, meet in the semifinal unrealistic Canadian Rogers said that on the eve of not afraid Geesink in the fight on the ground, which indeed would have challenged its ground. After two minutes ago, the end of those pifferai mountain immobilized dall'olandese ending!
In the final round comes to the colossus Mitsuo Matsunaga, in the semi has "eliminated", I say, the companion Seiji Sakaguchi, but the decision was taken because the trainer Sone, as I said, is more Matsunaga performance.
Another challenge therefore for a title between Dutch and Japanese big duty.
This time will be okuri-ashi-barai the weapon winning Anton Geesink that from 1961 to 1965 in two Olympics and a world beat seven times for the Japanese opponents!
True to the promise eve - if he had won the "maximum" would not have disputed the "open" - the sample is not Dutch. The two Japanese chosen for this race are Kato and Inokuma, but soon reduced to one because Peter Snijders, another Dutch - a real persecution - has put out in the elimination Kato. Dramatic, the chronicles say, the final between the "Goliath" Kibrosachvili Soviet and the "David" Japanese Inokuma the club against fioretto!
The rude and unleashed force of nature, Anzor Kibrosachvili Inokuma and feline face with alternate shots of the scene until a fulmineo how powerful tai-otoshi Little Japanese, counted only "waza-ari" by French door leading Pelletier Inokuma. Leave the Soviet right time to rise again, "hajimé" razsodnika Inokuma shoot a seoi-otoshi of rare speed which makes it spring in the fifteen thousand feet of Maracanà and is Kibrosachvili night!
Like a year before in Tokyo, reversed categories, Geesink and Inokuma are still gold medals, but the challenge that fans from all over the World there was not expected there will be no more… close because both career racing after Rio .


Monaco 1972
Currently, judo is a full Olympic discipline. Monaco's Games are afflicted by the tragic events of Palestinian terrorism against Israeli athletes, but the judo tournament held regularly. The Italian Olympic eve has been quite busy because of ' "affaire Vismara" that exploded on the eve of the Games, the Olympics saw a blue team invented at the last minute, just to tell signature, but without chance of a significant presence.
The weight categories have become five hours - 63, 70, 80, 95 and +95 kg - in addition to the open category. Three Japanese victories in lower categories and then the Soviet Chochoshvili and two gold medals in the maximum and open for Willem Ruska, Dutch, heir Anton Geesink.
The Japan, the twenty-four medals at stake, it takes three gold and a bronze, in the category "open" salt on the podium for the first time this Angelo Parisi, an Italian immigrant to Britain who then will speak much about himself .


Montreal 1976
Always six weight categories at Monaco, and Japan stops to the three gold medals, a silver and a bronze, the Netherlands, orphan of its giants, for the first time in the history of the Olympic tournament is not in standings while, as the second power of the sports world judo, it is stated that the Soviet Union sends five athletes on the podium for two first places, two seconds and a third: the same number of medals of Japan!
This figure is important for us that for the first time in the history of Italian sports judo is a blue on the podium Olympics: Felice Mariani, ventiduenne Roman bronze in 60 kilos.
After the 1972 Monaco Italian federation, then Filpj, has decided to invest some athletes on creating a sort of permanent college that has already yielded important results. In fact, the year before, the World Championships in Vienna 1975, still Felice Mariani salt on the podium, again for the bronze in 60 kilos again this is the first medal "World" in the history of Italian sports judo!
But in this Olympics Montreal's another blue that although very young, does not fail to put on display for racing generosity: his name is Ezio Gamba.


Moscow 1980
The weight categories are brought to seven - 60, 65, 71, 78, 86, 95, + 95 kilos - to which is added to the usual open category.
These games are characterized by the countries of the boycott against the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan, and then, among others, anything Japanese.
The Italy is divided between the rights and duties of sport policy and, as ancient costume, the hair splits into four so not participating athletes from the sports groups may start military while others.
Felice Mariani is enrolled with the Finance and Ezio Gamba with Carabinieri are undoubtedly our two strongest athletes and both have founded chances of success: Mariani has returned from three European gold medals in succession, and Gamba by 1978/79/80 'silver world of 1979 Paris. The choice is to those who change their lives. The two we think and ripensano and finally decide: Mariani surrender and remains a soldier; Gamba dall'Arma you leave and return to be a civilian so can groped Olympic adventure.
How has gone now everybody knows that the Soviet Union is the first in the medals table; Ezio Gamba won the first Olympic gold in the history of Italian sports judo and that young Italian with English passport that Monaco 1972 rose on the podium for the bronze in the open Angelo Parisi here in Moscow, with French passport, will do its maximum in gold and in the open.

Los Angeles 1984
This time the sabotage comes from filosovietico group, the seven categories are always the most open and the eight gold medals go four to Japan, one of whom, finally, Yamashita, the Japanese judoka stronger in recent years, just the end of his career, can disputare un'olimpiade. Two successes go to Korea and one each in Austria and Germany. Unfortunately a gold medal in Korea, one in 71 kilos, is at the expense of Italy. Indeed Ezio Gamba, its second Olympic final, after stracciato four opponents in men who do not tell you, cedes measuring the strong Korean Ahn.
Other blue, Felice Mariani and Sandro Rosati, now at the end of his career, and Yuri Fazi almost piazzandosi podium in fifth place.


Seoul 1988
Japanese Disfatta that collects only the gold medal in the heavyweight Hitoshi Saito and three bronzes, still down from the podium in three categories; lean spoils for the Soviet Union, with a silver and four bronzes. Of the seven Olympic titles at stake (the open category was abolished) three to go 'Asia, three in Europe and one in South America, Brazil, a sign that the sport is now levelling things accomplished. After three Olympics the Azzurri stop away from the podium.
From stress as in games of Seoul has been facing the female judo, albeit as a demonstration sport. The categories are the classic seven without open, el'azzurra Alessandra Reach already athlete absolute value of world conquest bronze medal in the 52 kg category.

Barcelona 1992
A one hundred and ten years after Jigoro Kano when it launched its "kodokan judo for the first time admitted to the official title games, and that is complete with athletes of both sexes!
The female sector, unlike the men who had to endure eight years of purgatory, Tokyo from 1964 to 1972 Monaco, after only four years is inserted into the Olympic program.
The long leapfrogging of sport international female, began in Europe, Monaco, in 1975 1980 1988 has finally reached the conclusion ' agognato goal!
It will be the first athlete of Italian female judo athlete, Emanuela Pierantozzi, to climb on the podium for an Olympic medal in the 66 kg category. Satisfaction for the silver, coming after two world gold medals in Belgrade 1989 and Barcelona 1991, consecrates "the first woman" of Italian female judo ever; some 'bitter in the mouth instead leaves the fifth Alessandra Reach from which, after the world medals in Belgrade and Barcelona and the bronze demonstration of Seoul, we expected a medal. As in Seoul 1988 team blue men remained far from the podium. Ezio Gamba closes with competitive spirit after four Olympics.
In the men's l 'Europe with four gold medals double the Japan, Brazil testimony to the goodness of his school with another gold while in the women's field, Europe is much higher than the rest of the World.

Atlanta 1996
The scippata dell'Olimpiade Greece is the centenary by Coca Cola in Atlanta welcomes the Olympic caravan indifferent to the story with equal enthusiasm. The judo as usual: a full spectators being one of the most popular among those covered.
The Europe incamera four gold medals, and Japan must satisfy two of the medals while Russia after the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, there was no trace either on the podium or close to the podium. In the women's field Asia has recovered much ground and, as in Barcelona 1992, where girls of the old continent have largely dominated, are "yellow" - China, Korea, Japan - to take command with twice as many medals d ' gold, four, compared to two in Europe and one of Cuba. Sale for the first time on the podium for the gold medal in the 60 kilos at the expense of our good while Jerome Giovinazzo, a giapponesino which responds to the name of Tadahiro Nomura intended to enter the history of the Olympic judo. In the women's field bolzanina Twenty-one of the new guard blue, Ylenia Scapin, joined bronze medal in the category limit of 72 kilos.
A 'episode which must not be silent, at least in my opinion, is the big carognata implementation by the leaders of the judo world, including the sports director (French): the poor Georgian Khakhaleishvili, Olympic gold in Barcelona, blocked traffic in the chaotic American arrives late weight and inflexible management, the face of the Olympic spirit - shame - I bring out, actually eliminating the most dangerous competitor for the title Douillet (French), went winner!
A pensar evil is sin, however, as the divo warned Julius…


Sydney 2000
This time the Cio to curb the gigantism organisation, has placed limits on the participation of Olympic athletes of every discipline and every international federation should stick to the directions. And so, two years before the Games, Olympic qualification begins where the first "ranking list" from every continent after a long series of tournaments scores variable can go in the Games, but always one athlete per weight category. So the judoka arrived in Sydney are all "qualified" according to the criteria dell'Ijf.
In the men's field gold medals is the affair between Europe and Japan: four for the old continent and three for the Rising Sun. If Japan must mention of a Tadahiro Nomura in 60 kilos of gold must stress of a young Italian to his first Olympic spotlight: Pino Maddaloni in 73 kilos. The Russia, overcome the crisis sporting post USSR, begins to reappearance in the medals table. In the women's field Cuba has four girls in the final against three of China while Europe must be satisfied with two golds and some placements. The Italy can realise the most important result of all his Olympic history: a gold medal, Pino Maddaloni, three bronze, to Jerome Giovinazzo, Ylenia Scapin and Emanuela Pierantozzi, all in their second Olympic podium and finally Three fifths sites with Luigi Guido, Cinzia Cavazzuti, Jenny Gal. In other words, Italy deployed nine athletes has led to a seven final medal Unprecedented success.

Athens 2004
It is the great day of revenge of Japan, at least in the women's field, because the judoka almond eyes and legs are wrong six out of seven reporting final five golds and a silver while the old Europe reported a single title. An excessive power that needs no comments.
It rose water under the bridge from Barcelona 1992…
In the men instead "only" four finalists and three gold medals for the children of the Rising Sun, that is to say, just to summarize, ten finalists on fourteen categories - between males and females - are Japanese and eight of these captures l ' gold, and less evil that their sample more accredited, Kosei Inoue, flop ago. The Japan is back, great! According to the technical task of analysing why and percome, is the fact that back in Athens to win the judo sull'atletismo and Japan back the number one!
The Azzurri have qualified as nine athletes in Sydney, five females and four males, but the result is not up to expectations: a single bronze medal, that of Luica Morico, and many recriminations but, as they say in Cremona, "each mort going to the port if busa el adrée the so excuse… "
Excuses that brought down - rightly or wrongly - some heads in the blue team. The causes of failure (always compared to the expectations that were, in my view, exaggerated) - would be more appropriate to talk a negative result - we look for in the "after Sydney" and not up to me do it!
In any case, absolute truth, the disappointment is always a victim of illusion…
Athens 2004 is now past, the history is not with the "if" s or "but" trouble but not to retain the experience would be an unforgivable mistake!


Beijing 2008
It will be hard as iron, for all!
For Japan will be hard to maintain the level of Athens also because Russia is rimontando and now is about to climb on the podium in France, with poisoned tooth, is doing monstrous efforts, while China will have its field factor, especially in women's race ; not forget that Cuba is rebuilding its "joyful war machine" that allowed women to dominate for a few years the world scene. There is also the unknown of North Africa that is in continuous significant progress nor can we forget the republics formed by the dissolution of the former Soviet Union, with the fighting in DNA that are converting their styles of fighting and national judo, thanks to a particularly etnos equipped, will produce competitive athletes.
And Italy? And 'internal to a lot! Granted that we win first and foremost with the head, this will be the main problem to be tackled.
The task extremely difficult, as put in motion the machinery and technical physics and perfect it is not a prohibitive work, anything but challenging order of the wires' "electrical system" is extremely delicate operation!
The secret to Pulcinella, is that you have to start from personal reasons, from technicians, samples established until those dell'ultime reserves!
The experience of Sydney after "must teach at least wait to play the pipes and go with proclamations such as" spezzeremo the kidneys to Greece.
Afresh dall'umiltà is already a good start!
Giorgio Sozzi

(Dall'inserto stretch special Samurai)

(This article was translated by a machine translation software and not by one person)