From June 9th to 11th, the Judo Club at DKU Judo Club participated in the 2024 China National Collegiate Judo Championship, organized by the China Student Sports Federation. Under the expert guidance of Coach Yang Yang from the Athletics, the team proudly represented DKU in their first-ever national-level collegiate sports event, highlighting exceptional skill and dedication.
Reflecting on this milestone, Coach Yang Yang shared, “to participate successfully in this national-level competition is a huge step forward. It was an experience that we never had before.”
The competition featured individual men’s and women’s judo events and various judo forms, with 79 teams participating. Three dedicated students represented DKU at the championship: Li Zhenghao ’24, Renzo Rodrigo Balcazar Tapia ’25, and Jiang Xueyao ’27. Among them was the international student Renzo Rodrigo Balcazar Tapia, highlighting the diverse talent within the university.
In a series of intense matches, Jiang Xueyao highlighted remarkable skill and unwavering determination in the women’s under-63kg category, earning an impressive fifth place. Sharing her experience, Jiang shared, “I realized that success in judo isn’t just about physical strength, endurance, or mastering techniques. It is also about mental sharpness. I had to learn to sense even the slightest shifts in my opponent’s center of gravity, anticipate their next move, and quickly seize those fleeting moments to disrupt their balance and execute a throw. This level of awareness and timing didn’t come easily—it was something I developed through countless hours of practice, both in training sessions and in real matches.”
In addition to Jiang’s individual success, the DKU team also excelled in the faculty-student judo kata competition, securing a commendable fifth place. Coach Yang Yang remarked on the team’s potential, saying, “Our students have a greater potential and opportunity to achieve even better results. With more game experience and sufficient pre-competition training we’ll earn an admirable result.”
The championship served as a platform for meaningful exchanges among students and teachers from diverse schools, backgrounds, and cultures. United by the spirit of sports and the discipline of judo, participants forged lasting friendships and strengthened mutual understanding. It was a powerful reminder of how sports can bring people together across differences.
We eagerly anticipate their continued success in future competitions as they add new chapters to the growing legacy of DKU Athletics.
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