Budo 1

Hi everyone,

Yesterday (Tuesday) I arrived in Japan where I will be training for two and a half weeks with six other members of the Australian Judo Team. We are staying and training at International Budo University in Katsura, Chiba.

Our first session was yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. There are currently at least three other universities training here are there are over 70 girls on the mat. This is because it is Goshuku week which is similar to orientation week at uni at home. All of the girls are training hard in order to impress the coach and they are ranked according to their ability. I am pleased because I do not have any difficulty in getting a suitable partner - I have a lot of girls to train with who are my size.

This morning’s training lasted three hours and included both newaza and tachiwaza randori. It was tiring but overall I had a good session. For a while I had forgotten what it was like to train in Japan, but my memory came back very quickly! I am confident that this training camp will prepare me well for the Oceania Championships in April.

We had a short break of two and a half hours, which was enough time for a shower and lunch, and then it was back for session two which was a competition – Budo versus the other universities. I fought in Budo’s +70kg team and I had four fights. I lost my first fight narrowly by a yuko scored by a hold-down, I lost my second fight convincingly by two wazaris. My third and fourth fights went to time and were drawn (because it was a team’s competition there was no golden score).

I am tired now. It has been a big day.

That is all for now,

Steph