Ogden grabs silver at judo nationals

MEDALLIST: Masterton Judo & Ju Jitsu Academy founder and sensei Simon Ogden throws assistant instructor Vinnie Morris. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

A Masterton judo fighter has seized a silver medal at the 2013 National Judo Championships after last competing 14 years ago.

Simon Ogden, Masterton Judo & Ju Jitsu Academy founder and lead instructor, competed in the under 90kg young masters shiai, and nage no kata divisions of the national tournament held at the ASB Sports Centre in Wellington over Labour Weekend.

Ogden, 37, a Kuripuni pharmacist originally from Stalybridge in Manchester, holds a 3rd dan black belt in ju jitsu and a brown belt in judo and last competed at a judo tournament 14 years ago in England. Despite failing to place in the shiai division at the event, he took silver in the nage no kata alongside Masterton academy judo green belt Vinnie Morris, who was his uke or kata partner.

It was the first time Morris, an assistant instructor, had been involved in competitive judo after he helped as an uke (partner) in the successful black belt grading of Masterton academy instructor Graham Rogers.

The kata competition also was a first for Ogden, he said, and had involved a panel of up to 10 judges. The competitive scrutiny was unlike any he had previously experienced.

"In the shiai I was penalised so much for using judo that's not allowed anymore because the rules have changed so much, while the kata involves a very high degree of scrutiny.

"Even though I've competed before in boxing, ju jitsu and judo, this was a whole other level of adrenaline release and self-control, form and posture."

Three junior judo fighters from the Masterton academy also had competed in Wellington, as had Hannah Wilton, a former Chanel College student, who competed in the under 55kg Senior Girls division at the championships and came away with a bronze medal.

Wilton, who is now based in Kerikeri, took a silver medal at the 2013 North Island Judo Championships held in Gisborne in September.

"Our three younger fighters did well even though they didn't take home any medals. It's about testing yourself and getting on the mat and into that environment. "

He said the Kids Judo classes for four to nine-year-olds are held at the academy Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5pm and Cadet Judo classes are held on the same days from 6pm.

Instructors include black belts Mr Rogers and Joseph 'Bully' Kawana, he said, and given sufficient interest Ogden was keen to also launch an adults judo class at the Masterton academy.

He said the national contest had this year featured the largest field of masters division fighters in its history.

For more information about classes at the Masterton Judo & Ju Jitsu Academy, call Simon Ogden on 0212486111.