The Gentle Way and Tae Kwon Do Thread
 

Judo, the Gentle Way, starts tonight.

Personally don't think it's been the same since "Kegs" Rizliakov at Sydney in the asuper Heavyweights, but there we go.

Should be awesome. Really looking forward to it.

Top ippons 2012 - YouTube

Also want to check out the women's Judo competition - I wonder how the competitor from Saudi Arabia is going to do. She doesn't have a black belt - she could be seriously hurt - she's going up against the world #13....

Keen to give this a look. Who should I watch out for Burge?

Mate I'm not really that up on Judo really. But if you're into stories behind competitions, Judoka Kayla Harrison from America has overcome a fair bit to get to the Games.

Teddy Riner of France the big favourite for the men's heavyweight gold.

Just ignored me, didn't you. :(

I really like the women's field, they are some fantastic technicians. Tomorrow the heavyweights (of both genders) are fighting. But if you're new to the sport, I would watch some of the lower weight classes - I think it's more fun.

Naidangiin Tüvshinbayar won Gold in 2008, and he's been looking great this year. I would keep an eye on him.

Tomorrow is also when Wojdan Shahrkhani (Saudi Arabian fighter) will have her match -- she won't be in long but her match will be worth watching. She didn't qualify on merit so it's more for the symbolic importance than it being a close fight. Remember this is a country where women aren't even allowed to drive, let alone play sports.

Hopefully this advances the women's rights movement a little bit in Saudi Arabia - they only relented because as the only country in the world who didn't let women compete, the IOC was threatening to kick them out from the olympics.

People had been waiting years for you to resign as a mod so they could put you on ignore.

thats great had no idea

Anyone else watching the medal rounds right now?

If you thought hard enough about it, you'd realise that he couldn't ignore you anyway...

Whoa - what a beautiful looking throw there out of nowhere from Abigel! If you manage to get a few throws that clean on someone, you're in love with the sport forever.

:p

Yes been watching them on & off from the start, gutted for Gemma Gibbons especially after she took out the world champ in the previous round, still a silver is a amazing achievement for her.

And she wins gold!