Baja California Judo Athletes Intensify Training for 2026 National Olympics
Table of Contents
Tijuana, Baja California – Judo athletes in Baja California are ramping up their training regimen as they prepare for qualification events for the 2026 National Olympics. A technical control session was held this weekend at the Tijuana High Performance Center to assess the athletes’ current skill levels and readiness for upcoming competitions.
Accelerated Planning Schedule
The preparation schedule has been accelerated due to a shift in the National Olympics calendar. This weekend’s technical control wasn’t a typical training session, but rather a focused evaluation of athletes’ abilities in anticipation of the state eliminatory competition scheduled for January 31st. According to Josan Fajer, president of the baja California State Judo Association, “All this is part of a process that we had to speed up, because the National Olympics were brought forward. This meeting will not be a regular training session, but rather an evaluation exercise in which we will analyse the current level of the athletes for the state competition.”
Qualifying Through the “Tomoyoshi Yamaguchi” Championship
The state championship will determine which athletes represent Baja california in the prestigious “Tomoyoshi Yamaguchi” National championship. This championship serves as the primary qualifying event for the National Olympiad, and will be held in two phases. The first phase, scheduled for February 19th, will feature Cadet, Junior, and Sub 24 categories.The second phase, taking place later in March, will include Pre-Children, Sub 13, and Sub 15 divisions.
Fajer emphasized the importance of the “Tomoyoshi Yamaguchi” Championship, stating, “The importance of Tomoyoshi lies in the fact that it will be the qualifying event for the National olympiad. As it is held in two phases, it will allow us to form a team with a high competitive level.”
Collaboration and Support
The technical control was conducted in collaboration with the methodological team from the Institute of sports and Physical Culture of Baja California (INDEBC). Approximately 100 athletes participated in the evaluation. Judo is a priority sport in Baja California, a status supported by the state delegation’s strong performance at the last National Olympiad, where they secured second place overall with six gold, six silver, and seven bronze medals.
Looking Ahead
Baja California’s judo programme is focused on continuing its success and aiming to be among the top three performing regions in the country.The upcoming competitions will be crucial in identifying and developing the athletes who will represent the state at the National Olympiad and beyond.