This year’s Chicago summer is about to heat up with a
powerhouse in the men’s open weight class!
We’re excited to announce a special guest who will join us in making this summer in Chicago unforgettable—and bring big smiles to the kids!
The main instructor for this year’s event is none other than Ryū Shichinohe (Over 100kg category)!
A silver medalist at the 2014 and 2015 World Judo Championships, Ryū Shichinohe is known for his fierce rivalry with the legendary French Judoka Teddy Riner, a ten-time world champion. Shichinohe faced Riner twice in the finals of the World Championships—battles so intense that many came to believe, “Only Shichinohe can beat Riner.”
Yes, that Shichinohe will be joining us!
Standing at 193 cm, Shichinohe is known for his signature move—Ouchi Gari, a major inner reap that takes full advantage of his height and long limbs. While it may look like a simple foot technique at first glance, Ouchi Gari is actually a deep and complex throw that, when mastered, can decisively win a match with a clean ippon.
We’re truly excited to see Shichinohe demonstrate and teach his Ouchi Gari here in Chicago. By sharing his skill and connecting with the children, we hope he can inspire them to dream big and believe in their future.
This year, the USA Judo Junior Olympic Championships will be held at the same venue just one week after our event. (Since we’ve reserved the venue for the entire week, we also plan to host a training camp with Shichinohe during that time!)
At the end of March, around 1,000 competitors took part in the USA Judo Youth Nationals, a tournament of similar scale—and we’re expecting similar numbers for the Junior Olympics as well.
With many participants likely to join our event as a warm-up for the following week, there’s no doubt that this year’s tournament will be even more exciting than last year’s!
To everyone living in Chicago—or anywhere in the U.S.—we warmly invite you to come out and experience the event in person!
Even if you’re not a judo practitioner, the tournament will be enjoyable for all spectators.
(At the very least, you’ll get to enjoy the delicious bento boxes from Chicago’s famous restaurant Daruma!)
We’re also seeking your generous support to help us make this event possible.
Further details, including how to support us and full event information, will be shared in our next announcement in early April.
Without your help, we simply can’t keep this tournament going (honestly—without support, we’re deep in the red!).
Thank you so much for your continued support.
Spring is finally arriving in Chicago, and with it comes the start of an amazing season of judo—let’s go!!
On a personal note—our family has grown by one more!
Left Issa, Right, Luna (born on February 21st)
