The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BASED on the success of the Bahamas Judo Open 2014, the Bahamas Judo Federation (BJF) and its executives expect the sport to experience an increase in exposure as it continues to develop locally.

“I think this is a game changer,” said D’Arcy Rahming, president of the BJF. “It was an extremely successful venture across the board. These are the top teams from the United States and from Cuba and of course we got to compete against them and raise our level. “The entire reason for having a big international tournament and training camp here is to raise everyone’s level. Ours and our competitors, that’s the whole reason they’ve come.”

Over 80 athletes competed in the tournament dubbed “Judo: The International Dashin - Battle of the Black Belts” at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Saturday.

The field included six national champions from Cuba, 12 national champions from the United States, Youth Olympic coach Serge Boyossou and his family, which included his daughter Kaitlyn Boyossou, USA Youth Olympic gold medallist.

“Most of all we want the Bahamians to get exposure to high level judo. It’s very easy, if you don’t travel a lot, to feel like you are better than you are because of course you are competing just amongst each other,” Rahming said. “This is the highest level judo, when you can beat these guys, then you know you have something.”

The official results will not be published until they are ratified by regional judges executives.

In the individual competition, both male and females competed in the Bantam (1 - 28kg, 2- 30kg and 3 - 35kg), Intermediate (1 - 43kg, 2 - 52kg), Juvenile (A - 64kg, B Female - 70kg and 90kg), IJF Junior (Female - 78kg and Male - Open), Seniors (Female - Open and Male - Open).

In the team event, team members were comprised of competitors either at the division or one division down.

“They [Team Bahamas] did fantastic. They hung in there, they got a lot of experience and this is what we were looking for. We are going to need it coming up because there is more training because we have the Commonwealth Games, the Youth Olympic Games and then the Junior Worlds.

“The summer will be one of just hard work and training. In order for us to travel, it’s so expensive, it’s easier for us to bring in groups and raise the level of the whole country,” Rahming said. “We are primed for growth. I think the parents who were here saw the impact the sport can have and that always helps to solidify the future. And then the older athletes got such an experience that they will not only fall in love with the art, but what it takes to win and excel at the art.”