The Cordillera Judo Association (CJA) is sending three participants to the International Cadet Judo Championship in Singapore to be held on Aug. 18 and 19.

CJA president Vonne Villanueva said Franz Darren Kim of the University of Baguio, Jedd Andre Kim of Saint Louis University Laboratory High School, and Dereck Klarence Dino of the Baguio City National High School will represent the country in the event.

The competition will be held at the Bedok Sports Hall, Bedok North Street, Singapore. It is sponsored by the Singapore Judo Federation and is given to selected National Judo Federation and Association members worldwide. 

“This is one of the opportunities CJA is looking for – when our local athletes are able to join competitions in the international level,” Villanueva said.

However, the CJA can only send three players due to financial constraints. The parents of the three players agreed to shoulder their kids’ expenses, he said.

Still in its infancy stage, Villanueva there is a need to establish a support base for the CJA.  “I hope that people in the locality will again find their appreciation of judo.  I am looking at re-establishing the time when judo was synonymous to Cordillera.” 

The competitors will vie in the under 21, under 17, and under 15 years old male divisions. Darren will be competing in the middle weight category of the under 21 division while Jedd will join the middle weight category of the under 17. Dereck will compete in the middle weight category of the under 15.

Two weeks ago, the CJA conducted the all-white invitational tournament in the city where players from as far as Zamboanga participated.

The all-white tourney was aimed to bring back the interest of public in judo and allow them to experience and learn the sport. The CJA has committed to spearhead more tournaments in the city to encourage more people to discover judo.

Villanueva said judo is the most effective way of using both physical and spiritual strengths, allowing the person to control himself not only during competitions but also in his daily dealings.

The 90’s may be considered the glory days of judo when about 80 percent of the national training pool of the judo who represented the country in major sporting events were from Baguio.

Judo, created in 1882, is also one of the games competed on in the Olympics.