Katz brothers’ judo journey
JUDO’S Katz brothers, who represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Rio last year, are edging towards top 20 world rankings as they prepare for the 2017 world championships.
JUDO’S Katz brothers, who represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Rio last year, are edging towards top 20 world rankings as they prepare for the 2017 world championships.
Josh Katz, 19, cemented his place for the junior world championships – to be held in Slovenia in mid-September – by winning gold in the junior men’s 60kg division at last weekend’s Australian National Judo Championships in the Gold Coast.
Representing NSW, he comfortably won all of his four bouts, including the final (10-0) against Victorian Louis Mott.
He will now head to Europe to compete in three junior world tour events before joining older brother Nathan, 22, in Hungary in late August to compete in the senior world championships, followed by the junior worlds.
On a personal level, Josh said he was pleased with his nationals win because he’d missed out on competing at the tournament in 2016, prior to the Olympic Games.
“The real work begins in a big second half of 2017,” he said.
Nathan Katz, who competes in the 66kg division, has spent the past month fighting for team Hamburg in the German Judo League as part of his build-up to the senior world championships.
Their father, Robert, is a national coach and will be spending time with both his sons while they are in Europe.
Nathan said beyond the world championships, he and Josh will be focusing on preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games judo qualifiers which begin in mid to late 2018.
“Everything is a stepping stone to the Tokyo [Olympic] Games,” he said.
SHANE DESIATNIK
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