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Judo4All: The Gateway to Judo for Newcomers to Canada
6 October 2022
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are approaching steadily, and Judo Canada is already working hard to ensure everything is in place to exceed the country’s 2021 Tokyo Games haul of two bronze medals. The federation is therefore proud to announce that the Canadian Olympic judo team will be hosted by the city of Levallois, in the Île-de-France region, just prior to the start of the Games.
For the month preceding the Olympics, Canada’s judokas will train at the Magali-Baton dojo at the Éric-Srecki Gymnasium. Nicolas Gill, Chief Executive Officer and High Performance Director of Judo Canada, is pleased to have secured the perfectly located venue at the gateway to the City of Light.
“To ensure the best possible preparation for their teams, the world’s powerhouses are all looking for quality venues. Each country has its vision, and for us, proximity to the Olympic Village is a priority.”
“It’s an important part of my job, and my many years of travelling around the world, both as an athlete and as a coach, are a definite advantage! The city officials in Levallois are welcoming us with open arms, and we look forward to having our athletes fine-tune their preparation there,” said Gill.
For Levallois mayor Agnès Pottier-Dumas, the presence of the Canadian team will create an even greater Olympic buzz in her town.
“Judo plays an integral role in the history of sport in Levallois, where several champions have trained. It’s an honour for us to write a new page in the story by hosting a prestigious delegation like that of Judo Canada. We’re very proud to do so. Judo conveys important values, and the Games will be a unique opportunity to share them with the residents of Levallois,” she said.
Antoine Valois-Fortier, coach of the senior national team, is also delighted with the announcement, adding that in addition to its location, the reputation of the Magali-Baton dojo at the Éric-Srecki Gymnasium will be a boon to the Canadians who compete in Paris in two years. “We’re really happy and we feel very privileged. The location is ideal. The dojo has a great history, and the facilities are excellent. The place breathes high performance.”
Valois-Fortier competed in the last three Olympic Games as an athlete and had the opportunity to train at local clubs prior to the London and Rio de Janeiro Games. Unfortunately, it was not possible to do so in Tokyo, due to the pandemic.
“It’s always a real advantage to have access to a resource like that. The Olympics are the Stanley Cup of our sport, so we like to have an edge,” concluded the coach.
The Olympic judo competitions will take place at the Champ-de-Mars Arena from July 27 to August 3, 2024.
The para judo tournament will take place at the same location, from September 5 to 7, 2024.
