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KEY DATES & CALENDAR

  1. 7 Jul 24                    Judo NSW Dan (Black Belt) Grading
  2. 14 Jul 24                  NSW Community Series 1
  3. 27 July                     Paris 2024 Olympic Games U/60kg – Josh Katz
  4. 11 Aug                      Macau and Hong Kong Cadet and Junior Cups
  5. 25 Aug 24                 NSW Community Series 2 (Coffs Harbour)
  6. 28 Aug – 2 Sep 24   Cadet World Championships
  7. 8 Sep 24                   NSW Community Series 3
  8. 20 – 21 Sep 24        Open Schools Ch/Ship and Brisbane International – Nathan, Brisbane
  9. 18 Oct 24                 Open Club Team Ch/Ship – Broadmeadows VIC
  10. 10 Nov 24                 NSW Community Series 4
  11. 23 Nov 24 (TBC)      Christmas Party – Ryde Aquatic Centre
  12. 5 Dec 24                   Budokan Awards Night

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hi to all Budokanis, old and new.  Welcome to our new club members – we hope that you enjoy your Judo experience at Budokan. Please let me, or any of our great Committee members or coaches know if there is anything we can do for you. Well, what a month we’ve had since the last Newsletter.  Some huge milestones in the club’s history and some really exciting times ahead:

  • Josh Katz’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification, his second Olympic representation
  • Record breaking results at the 2024 National Championships
  • Kerrye Katz’s inclusion in the King’s Birthday honours list as a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
  • Kerrye’s and my promotion to 6th Dan, a milestone for the club with 3 x 6th Dans on the mat

 We also have a couple of important events in the next few weeks:

  • Saturday 6th July, 5.00-7.00pm – The Fiddler Hotel - Farewell to Josh Katz pre-Paris 2024 Olympic Games – please support this
  • Thursday 11th July, 7.15 – 7.45pm between Junior and Senior Classes - Presentation to the club of Budokan’s NSW State Team members; presentation of medallions to National Champions, presentation of Olympic Games representative and referee.

 Please let me know if you have any news that you want to share in future newsletters and I will do my best to accommodate you. Enjoy this Newsletter and  “See you on the mat”.

JOSH KATZ SOON TO BE A 2 X OLYMPIAN– PARIS2024

Over the weekend of the Nationals, Josh fought in the Abidjan African Continental Open. This was only a week after competing in the Tahiti Oceania Open in which he placed 2nd electing not to fight in the final. Competing in these events was not part of our Paris preparation plan which was to end after the Panamerican-Oceania Championships in Brazil in April. In Africa Josh won 3 matches to make the final, and this was enough to secure the Oceania Continental Quota position for the Australian Olympic Team to Paris. Enormous congratulations to Josh on a monumental effort getting to this point and achieving a world ranking of 37 after suffering a serious knee injury in January and missing a significant number of qualification events. His trajectory after 2023’s performances (5th place at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam, Silver at the Panamerican-Oceania Championships, 5th place Perth Oceania Open) indicated a direct qualification was very likely, so putting together enough results this year in only 3 competitions is a great achievement.  Congratulations to both Aoife and Katharina who have had amazing results during this Olympic cycle and will both easily qualify direct. Katharina will be seeded top 8 and Aoifa will be just outside the seedings. The official announcement of the Australian Olympic Team will occur this week with the final qualification event just completed.

  • The club has a strong and impressive history of Olympic Games participation:
  • 1988 Seoul Korea – Kerrye (Women’s demonstration event); Rob (National Women’s Coach)
  • 2000 Sydney – Rob (Judo Sport Services Manager SOCOG); Kerrye (Field of Play Supervisor SOCOG)
  • 2004 Athens Greece – Morgan Endicott-Davies (now ZenBu coach), Jessica Malone
  • 2016 Rio de Janeiro Brazil – Nathan and Josh Katz
  • 2020 Tokyo Japan – Nathan Katz
  • 2024 Paris France – Josh Katz

EVENT - CONGRATULATIONS & FAREWELL TO JOSH KATZ PRE-PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – 6TH JULY

  • When: Saturday 6th July between 5.00 and 8.00pm
  • Where: The Fiddler Hotel (2 Commercial Rd, Rouse Hill) we have reserved the Lounge Room. You will be able to purchase your own food and drinks.
  • Who: All club members, all age categories and their families. Please try and make this event a special one.
  • Why: To allow the club to celebrate Josh’s Olympic qualification and to give all club members a chance to see and talk to Josh off the mat and away from the club, before he leaves for Europe on 16th July. A quote from Josh: "Whatever the road ahead looks like, or however long I have to struggle for, I’m willing to put everything on the line, and I hope that inspires others to do the same. Whatever it takes."
  • Recently retired dual-Olympian Nathan will also be accompanying Josh to Paris as a warmup partner for Josh and the two female athletes. Club member Lubo Petr has also been selected as Olympic referee.
  • Please try to get there.

Please note that Josh’s sponsor CMBT Nutrition has produced supporter T-shirts for which the first pre-order has already been submitted for manufacture. Additional Ts have been ordered and will be available at the club with the first pre-order. There will be an opportunity for a second order or you can go on-line yourselves and place an order at https://cmbt.com.au/products/josh-katz-olympics-2024-supporter-shirt-pre-order?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0_HQy9d7Sa-SUCGaAqT9ot5FOJgzW3QAcPJRt0LZI6jaMe8FI7S8ADtvo_aem_Dy_jfiV9GxHzJ57C7hmR8g

  • This is a great way to support Josh directly. He is one of only 3 Judoka, the only Australian male and the only NSW athlete who has qualified for these Olympic Games.

CONGRATULATIONS TO KERRYE KATZ OAM ON HER KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOUR

Over the weekend of the Nationals, Kerrye was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List for 2024 for her outstanding contributions to her community as a Judo athlete and Coach.  This is a fantastic achievement and testament to her dedication to Judo and in teaching her students on and off the mat. I am proud to be her partner and don’t see her energy slowing down too soon. Huge congratulations to Kerrye. Some related articles and an interview with Kerrye are at: Hills Shire Mayor Dr Peter Gangemi -  https://www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/v/1/cms-docs/council-meetings/ordinary/ordinary-2024/11-jun/mayoral-minute-no.-9-2024-kings-birthday-honours-list.pdf Mark Hodges State Member for Castle Hill - https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-142625/link/2280 Emeritus Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne - https://www.facebook.com/DrMichellebyrne - 10th June Hills-to-Hawkesbury News - https://hillstohawkesbury.com.au/kerrye-katz-oam-is-for-her-family-club/

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