SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - Fighters from across the Atlantic provinces came toe-to-toe in the Credit Union Place to battle it out on the mats, while using their leverage to burst out victorious on Easter weekend.
The Atlantic Open Judo Championships had just under 200 athletes compete for gold, silver and bronze medals over the two days.
“On Friday we have u10, u12 and u14, the younger competitors, and then on the high end are the veterans,” explained Brian Nash, the organizing committee chairman. “The younger kids will get awarded medals, like a second and third bronze, to encourage them with the sport.
“But with the divisions later in the afternoon and on Saturday, they have to win a fight to be awarded a medal.” He added, “It’s the third time in a row we’ve had this event in Summerside.”
Competing on the floor on Saturday afternoon was Taliano Ferguson, an athlete that represented his country, the Bahamas, which was also the host of the Commonwealth Youth Games last year.
“I’ve been involved with Judo for more than two years,” said Ferguson, who lives now in Summerside. “I started when a Sensei at school encouraged us to take a class after school. Normally I would walk home with my friends, but they started attending his class and I found myself walking home alone.
“The commonwealth games were coming up in the Bahamas, and I decided to join my friends at the Judo class, and then I fell in love with the sport.
“I ended up staying with Judo team members, along with a few other people, in a training house over the summer for the Games. Our coach would tell us when to go to sleep, turn the lights and television off, and then he would wake us up at 6 a.m.
“We started our day with jumping jacks, 50 push-ups, and then either a run for an hour straight or a sprint. After we would go get breakfast, before workouts and serious practices started,” explained Ferguson, who acknowledged at 18-years-old the sport means much more to him than the competitive side.
“Judo brings people together and it makes a second family. For me it’s also a lifestyle and a core that I live by.”
Nash added, “It’s the second most popular sport in the world, behind soccer. There’s not a lot of costs as far as equipment, and because you fight based on your age and weight anyone can participate on equal footing. A lot of people just train for the fitness and social aspect.
“On the Island we have around 200 members, and probably only a sixth of them might be competing here.”
