“Judo is my life and I want us to be able to compete at the international level,” Shichidan (7th Dan) Charles Ambrose said in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport.
The multifaceted Grandmaster, along with fellow judoka Rokudan (6th Dan) Edward De Lima, acquired his illustrious ranking in a recently concluded overseas training course in Mexico, which began on January 25 and ended on January 29.
“It was a high-level course which was a great experience and also used to facilitate the new strides made in the sport, with regard to the new rules that will be implemented into the art from a combat perspective,” Ambrose said.
Asked what his motivation was to learn judo, Ambrose said he was lucky to witness a judo exhibition at the Georgetown Football Club and simply fell in love since then with the “martial way”.
“I love the art, it’s my life and I have dedicated a lot of myself to its continued development in the country. Under the tutelage of Fr Niles I began training at the St Stanislaus College at the tender age of nine and have never looked back since, representing my country on many occasions and progressing and developing to where I humbly am now,” he added.
“Through judo I was afforded the opportunity to compete in the Moscow Games (Olympics) in 1980 and even though I was not successful, I tried my best and returned richer thanks to the experience I was granted.”
Queried about his intentions for the sport and how he plans to make the general populace aware of it, the affable master stated that exhibitions at public places and schools need to be done to sensitise the public.
“We need more publicity as persons need to be aware of the sport and its intricacies. Exhibitions and schools need to be visited so that people can realise, interpret and understand that Judo is alive and well in Guyana,” he said.
Questioned about his plans for the sport in the current year and for the foreseeable future, the instructor said his main goal is to produce combatants who would be capable of competing on the international circuit.
“Producing fighters that are capable of competing on the international stage is what I want us to cultivate. We have the necessary talent to compete; all we have to do is keep working hard and striving for success.
“Our aspiration is to reach a high standard and one day win an Olympic medal but this can only be realised though consistent hard work and development… Praise must be given to the present association which continues to work arduously to help foster evolution and advancement in the art.”
Prominent for its competitive element, the objective of judo is to either throw or takedown an opponent to the ground, immobilise or otherwise subdue with a pin, or force an adversary to submit with a joint lock or a choke.
The Japanese art known as judo was founded in the 1882 by the legendary Dr Jigoro Kano. The sport has grown to widespread acclaim evident by its Olympic status since 1964.
