Mario James, Freelance Writer

THERE ARE only two sporting disciplines that Jamaica has ever medalled in at the Olympic level.

Pound for pound, we are probably the most decorated people in track and field history and we have also garnered an Olympic bronze medal in cycling, courtesy of David Weller. Both of those sports have more or less vibrant infrastructure; programmes that ensure the continuity of the disciplines. Why, though, should we cloud our horizons?

As a martial art, judo is one of two fighting styles on the International Olympic Com-mittee's list of approved sports; the other being taekwondo. A plethora of oriental combative arts are firmly rooted in Jamaica - shotokan, wing chun, taekwondo and many more styles have dojo here. Judo does not.

black belt

However, that has not stopped individuals from learning the way. Ivan Salazar-Chang, a Jamaican who has lived in Spain, has gone through the judo ranks and currently holds a fourth degree black belt ranking, a status that has taken him much of his 31 years to achieve.

He will be representing Jamaica today at the World Judo Championships being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the under-60 kilo class. The event will be used by Salazar-Chang to further acclimatise himself to the international arena on his way, hopefully, to the Beijing Olympics next year. "Judo is a martial art designed for weak persons," Salazar-Chang said recently. "The object of this art is to use your opponent's strength against him.

timing

"Strength and size do not matter. Only timing and the ability to fall," he said. An avid participant from age four, he feels that Jamaica needs to be introduced to judo because of the levels of calmness and self control one has to achieve before the art is mastered. "Judo is also a very effective fighting style and like any sport can be broken down into four areas - technique, tactics, mental toughness and physical preparation, there are not many kicks or punches in the discipline, but there are many throws and a lot of grappling."

Salazar-Chang has previously participated on the world stage in the Pan-American (Judo) Championships in Montreal, Canada.

"UNESCO has recognised judo as an instrument for cultural and educational upliftment. Judo is more than a fighting style, it has been a part of the Spanish school curriculum for a long time and I believe that it would go a long way towards combating the fierce anger that some of our Jamaican kids feel. Judo is more than a sport or fighting style, it is a way of life," said Salazar-Chang.

Salazar-Chang has drawn the European Champion, Georgii Zantaraia of the Ukraine, as his first opponent today.

judo