Miklos Ungvari Masterclass

British Judo are pleased to announce that London 2012 silver medallist Miklos Ungvari will be hosting a masterclass as part of England squad training on Sunday 20 November at the British Judo Centre of Excellence in Walsall.

Ungvari is one of Hungary’s most decorated judoka having won ten World and European medals in his career. The three-time Olympian is also well-regarded as one of finest newaza practitioners in the world. All players attending the masterclass will be sure to take away some great tips on how to make the most out of every newaza exchange.

The 36 year old came fifth at the Rio Olympics this summer and is currently taking time away from competing and has recently come back from an IJF Educational Tour of India and Nepal.

There will be two technical sessions and an open randori during the day starting from 10am with a finish of 4.30pm.

If you are interested in attending and aren’t a member of the England Squad you must email nicole.nunn@britishjudo.org.uk ahead of time 

However players must have a minimum standard of Green Belt and be on the competition pathway. There will also be a £5 mat fee for all players attending.  

You can find a full timetable of events below and you can find directions for the Centre of Excellence here: https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/gb-judo/gb-world-class-performance-programme/centre-of-excellence/how-to-get-there/

Timetable of events

9.00-9.45am: Registration

10.00-12.00pm: Technical Session

12.00-1.30pm: Lunch

1.30-3.00pm: Technical Session

3.00-4.30pm: Open Randori

Check out Ungvari’s renowned newaza skills at this year’s Baku Grand Slam and the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in the videos below

Ungvari will also be running masterclasses at a number of clubs during his visit to the UK. If you can’t make the Centre of Excellence masterclass be sure to pop along and learn from one of the best:

Monday 14th – Budokwai Judo Club from 8pm – 9.30pm
Wednesday 16th – Tonbridge Judo Club from 6pm – 9pm
Monday 21st – Kodokwai Judo Club from 6pm – 10pm

We also had the opportunity to catch-up with Miklos Ungvari ahead of his visit to the UK. He spoke to us about what he’s been up to since returning from Rio, what he enjoys the most about coaching and the importance of passing on knowledge to other judoka.

What have you been up to since the Olympic Games?

I have been in India and Nepal with the International Judo Federation to promote judo. At the moment I don’t have a specific goal or motivation, therefore, I live for my hobbies now…such as horse-riding, hunting and skiing. I think the tour with IJF really helped me too in terms of motivation and I really enjoyed our tour. I still train sometimes but not with the same determination I used to. I switch off for now, go with the flow and I will find the motivation again for next year’s World Championships.

What do you enjoy the most about coaching/teaching?

I like to pass on my knowledge, especially those which aren’t so common. During my recent journey in India I had a really special time because I could really amuse them with my knowledge and it is really a great feeling to pass on your knowledge to the younger generation. I like to see the happiness on the face of the students and the enjoyment. It is amazing to have the opportunity to pass on, not only my knowledge, but all great values of judo.

How important is it for top judoka to go to other countries and pass on their knowledge?

I think it is important because judo is so unique it should be spread everywhere. We showed during the recent Olympic Games how fast our sport is growing and how popular it has become. If you look at other sports such as fencing which existed at the Olympics much earlier than Judo, we are doing really well. I always highlight that we should not only think about the practical but the theory part of judo too.

I believe that every judoka is a unique individual and regardless of the fact that we, sometimes, have to fight against each other, we have high respect and humility towards each other and I think this is fantastic. I hope that with every upcoming Olympic Games, step by step, our sport will grow bigger.

How excited are you about coming to the UK?

Well we have been planning this journey for a while but because of the Olympic preparation we didn’t find time to come around. For me, every day is a new challenge and a new opportunity and it is always interesting to see how other people train in different countries. Like I said, we have been planning this tour for a while and I am really looking forward to it.

What are you hoping to get out of your visit to the UK?

I come from a small town in Hungary, it is almost like a village and for me to be where I am today itself is an honour, let alone being a guest at such a big country like Great Britain. It is a real privilege for me. During my visit, I hope to show our judo culture and pass on my judo values. Even though we are a small country I believe we have some valued judo culture which I am proud to carry and pass onto those interested.

Moreover, giving a lesson is somehow also like an exam for me. I need to be able to pass on almost 30 years of experience in judo in a way that it is worth it and leave the dojo by knowing I have given something to someone that they can carry throughout their own judo journey.