The 2021 Judo Nationals were held at the Gold Coast Sport & Leisure Centre in Carrara, from 11 - 14 June 2021. The competition was renamed from the Australian National Judo Championships because Judo VIC athletes were unable to participate. Numbers were a little down in some divisions and Victorian athletes were missed but the show had to go on. Despite significant setbacks and a very inexperienced and young team from Budokan representing NSW, the club was still able to make a significant contribution to the NSW team and to Australian Judo.
- The youth and inexperience of our club’s State Team members across all weight divisions is demonstrated by the fact that 40% of our athletes were first timers at Nationals. Clearly, this augers well for our competitive future.
Congratulations to the 22 athletes who contested 32 divisions in all 5 age categories, winning:21 medals: 7 Gold, 6 Silver and 8 Bronze. Notably Nathan and Josh Katz could not defend their 2019 National Titles as they were at the Senior World Championships.Additionally, we had 5 athletes contest 9 divisions in Kyu Grades, Masters and No Limits, winning:5 medals: 4 Gold and 1 Silver medal. In total the club’s 27 athletes won:11 Gold, 7 Silver and 8 Bronze medals. Finally 8 Budokan athletes also competed in 7 Kata divisions, winning:2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze medals.
- Congratulations to all our athletes on your commitment and strong effort in preparing for and competing at this event. Thanks also to our club coaches: Kerrye (Juniors), Rob (Juniors and Seniors), and Dale (Kata) and our fantastic Budokan travelling circus families.
Budokan was also acknowledged by Judo Australia in being awarded a plaque for the Best 4-Star Club in the 2020 National Recognition Awards Scheme. This is for the largest Australian club with between 200 and 300 members.
- Individual results for all our athletes at the Nationals follow:
- Tamsin Black (Gold Junior Girls Open, Bronze Junior Girls)
- Crosby Peake and Max Zollinger (Gold Senior Boys)
- Bianca Tandean (Gold Senior Girls, Gold Ju-No-Kata, Silver Nage-No-Kata)
- Will Zollinger (Gold Cadet Men, Silver Junior Men)
- Clarissa Vumbaca (Gold Cadet Women and Junior Women, Silver Senior Women)
- Daniel Kennedy (Gold Masters Men, Silver Kyu Grade Masters, 4th Nage-No-Kata)
- Scott Young (Gold Kyu Grade Masters, Unplaced Masters Men, 4th Nage-No-Kata)
- Lynne McCredden (Gold No Limits)
- Bernhard Tandean (Gold No Limits, Gold Ju-No-Kata, Silver Nage-No-Kata, 4th Katame-No-Kata)
- Lilly Zollinger (Silver Junior Girls, Bronze Junior Girls Open)
- Dasha Platonov (Silver Junior Girls)
- Nicholas Platonov (Silver Senior Boys)
- Jaeda Liao (Silver Senior Girls)
- Isaac Murkins (Bronze Junior Boys)
- Marcus Liao (Bronze Junior Boys)
- Flynn Mogilin (Bronze Senior Boys)
- Isabella Vumbaca (Bronze Junior Women, Unplaced Senior Women)
- Phoenix Edwards (Bronze Senior Men, 5th Cadet Men, Unplaced Junior Men)
- Montanna Poulsen (Bronze Senior Women, Unplaced Junior Women)
- David Willison (Bronze Nage-No-Kata, Bronze Goshin-Jitsu)
- Demin Cai (Gold Junior Nage-No-Kata, Unplaced Senior Boys)
- Aaron Xu (Gold Junior Nage-No-Kata)
- Ethan Zhang (5th Junior Boys)
- Eva Murkins (5th Junior Girls, Unplaced Junior Girls Open)
- Elisha Mistry (4th Cadet Women, Unplaced Kyu Grade Women)
- Bjorn Tandean (4th Katame-No-Kata)
- Callum Dick, Shanning Mak, Conrad van Dort (Unplaced)