Matside Magazine February 2016 Zurück Ausgabe

COVER FEATURE: NEIL ADAMS

Hero. A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Step forward Neil Adams, Britain’s first male world judo champion and double Olympic silver medallist. A master of his craft as an athlete, a coach and educator, Adams, 57, who has been fondly dubbed ‘the voice of judo’ has a mind for the sport like no other.

As judo made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games, Adams was fast becoming one of his country’s greatest prospects. As a junior the Coventry fighter clinched his first national title in 1969 in the -35kg category. In 2016, the British great is now celebrating his 50th year in judo and is still a key figure on the world stage.

MICH LEIGH: 60 YEARS IN JUDO

Having entered his first club in 1955, trained alongside the best fighters in the world and served two terms as the British Judo Association Chairman, it’s fair to say Mick Leigh has truly lived his life though judo.

At the age of 83, Mick is now an 8th Dan grade with 60 years of experience under his belt. He was responsible for founding countless British Judo endeavours, including the self-defence system, the Veteran Championships and grading, the special needs programme and much, much more.

He’s shared the mats with the legendary judoka of his generation and helped nurture talent of the likes of Brian Jacks, as well as successfully running his own network of clubs across the southern area. With a wealth of knowledge that’s difficult to comprehend, we visited Mick in his Crawley home to discuss his judo love affair.

COLUMNISTS
Euan Burton
Kate Howey

FEATURES:
Judo In Motion: Technique Focus
Anti-Doping - Know Where You Stand
Tournament Review: British Open
Classic Match: Craig Fallon Ludwig Paischer
The Kids Corner
Jimmy The Judo Lion
Club Focus: Fush Judo