The former Budokwai member has contributed thousands of hours of commentary over the last decade and shared his technical analysis of the second day of competition at the Cancun Grand Prix.
It’s always fascinating to see how various athletes prepare and perform at this stage of the Olympic qualification period. Coming on the back of the World Championships it would be easy to expect a ‘lull” in the intensity of competition. On the contrary; the realisation by athletes of the importance of every available point virtually ensures that levels of concentration remain at their highest.
Take for example the contest between Alan Khubetsov (RUS) and eventual gold medallist Sami Chouchi (BEL). One could sense the tension and refusal to give an inch. Of course this had most to do with the Grand Prix. But, quite apart from the golden score head-to-head that brought out super performances from the pair, neither fighter is assured of the number one spot in their country. This added dimension brought additional pressure to the contest.
It is this sort of pressure that can influence tactics, strategy and the approach of competitors to a particular match up or indeed a tournament. Understanding and appreciating the background to these match ups is an entertainment in itself.
Sheldon Franko-Rooks, who was one of the founding members of the IJF live stream, has been a mainstay since the birth of the IJF World Judo Tour in 2009 and has commentated on hundreds of IJF events. Franko-Rooks also commentates for the EJU and has worked at three Olympic Games.