World Judo Championships

The World Judo Championships are the highest level of international judo competition, along with the Olympic judo competition. The championships are held once every two years by the International Judo Federation, and qualified judoka compete in their respective categories as representatives of their home countries. Team competitions have also been held since 1994. The men's championships began in 1956, though the format and periodicity of the championships have changed overtime. The 26th edition of the championships will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 2009.

History

The first edition of the world championships took place in Tokyo, Japan in 1956. There were no weight classes at the time and Japanese judoka Shokichi Natsui became the first world champion in history, defeating fellow countryman Yoshihiko Yoshimatsu in the final. The second world championship was also held in Tokyo two years later, with the Japanese winning the top two spots in the competition for the second time. In 1961, the championship was held outside of Japan for the first time, and Dutch judoka Anton Geesink defeated the prior world champion, Koji Sone, in Paris, France, to become the first non-Japanese world champion.

The 1965 World Judo Championships were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and weight classes were implemented for the first time with the addition of the -68 kg, -80 kg, and +80 kg categories. Judo had become an Olympic sport at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, and a permanent sport after a brief absence at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

Despite this progressive enlargement, it took until 1980 for women to participate in the world championships. The first women's world championships were held in New York in 1980, and were held in alternating years as the men's championships until the 1987 World Judo Championships in Essen, where the two competitions were merged into one world championship. The mixed championships have been held biannually since 1987. In 2005, the world championships made its debut on the African continent in Cairo, Egypt. In the International Judo Federation meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2007 (during the 2007 World Judo Championships), it was decided that France would host the world championships for the fifth time in 2011.

Weight classes

There are currently 16 tournaments in the world championships, with 8 weight classes for each gender.

Women's competitions

Team competition

The World Judo Championships team competition began in 1994, and was held once every four years until 2006. The competition will be held every year from 2007. Judoka who participate in the individual world championships often do not participate in the team competition.

Video footage

* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=86 World Championships 2007] in Rio de Janeiro
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=8 World Championships 2005] in Cairo
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=21 World Championships 2003] in Osaka
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=6 World Championships 2001] in Munich
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=15 World Championships 1999] in Birmingham
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=13 World Championships 1997] in Paris
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=12 World Championships 1995] in Chiba
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=67 World Championships 1993] in Hamilton
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=37 World Championships 1991] in Barcelona
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=106 World Championships 1989] in Belgrade
* [http://www.judo-snijders.nl/video-judo-wedstrijd-wereldkamp/video-essen-1987-judo-e.html World Championships 1987] in Essen
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=122 World Championships 1983] in Moscow
* [http://www.judovision.org/?cat=38 World Championships 1981] in Maastricht
* [http://www.judo-snijders.nl/video-judo-wedstrijd-wereldkamp/video-paris-1961-judo-e.html World Championships 1961] in Paris
* [http://www.judo-snijders.nl/video-judo-wedstrijd-wereldkamp/video-tokyo-1956-judo-e.html World Championships 1956] in Tokyo

Notes

External links

* [http://www.ijf.org/ International Judo Federation official website]