At first sight, an event on the scale of the Hungary Grand Slam is an extraordinary showcase of the very best that elite judo has to offer. Yet it is also, and perhaps above all, a remarkable classroom.
There are the school benches, in the form of the stands. There is the blackboard, here the yellow and red tatami, on which the stories of athletes from all over the world are written. In Budapest, young spectators can learn about judo technique and tactics. They are accompanied by teachers, parents and club coaches, all ready to explain what is unfolding before their eyes. There is even a playground, in the arena corridors, where, as if by magic, they may meet the heroes of the day.
In Budapest, as at all World Judo Tour events, there are also geography lessons. Where are Georgia, Japan or Brazil? There are mathematics lessons too, when scores must be added. There are lessons in logic when discovering how a competition draw works and understanding the repechage system. There are language lessons simply by listening to the many voices heard around the arena, “Jó reggelt!”, “Bonjour”, “Hi”, “Guten Morgen”, “Ohayō gozaimasu!”...
For a few fortunate young judoka, the opening ceremony also included an exceptional sporting lesson, led by Olympic and world medallist Miklós Ungvári. It is not every day that a hero becomes a sensei, someone they can approach, train with and meet in such a natural way, under the delighted eyes of their parents.
This is what a grand slam such as Hungary offers. This is the wonder and inspiration it creates among the youngest spectators, and why every effort should be made to welcome them in great numbers. The lessons on offer are not limited to judo. They are lessons for life.
Young spectators, who practise judo in their clubs during the week, can see champions up close. They can begin to understand what accepting defeat truly means, just as they can witness the respect that a winner owes to the person they have beaten. This is about legacy, transmission, learning and ultimately education.
So for one weekend, was the Hungary Grand Slam not the most beautiful classroom of all?
