Calgary hosts hundreds of athletes competing in national judo championships

Some of the best judo athletes in Canada competed at the Olympic Oval over the weekend. Tyler Barrow reports.

Over 1,000 athletes are in Calgary this weekend, competing in the 2025 Canadian Open Judo Championships.

Those athletes range from a 12-year-old named Matthew, who won a U16 event Saturday, to competitors in their late 60s and early 70s, said Judo Canada CEO Nicolas Gill.

Gill said judo recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in Canada and the organization has its highest membership ever -- around 24,000.

He said it’s a bit rough and tumble, but there’s a certain type of personality who fits the sport perfectly.

“It’s a combat sport. It’s regulated. It has a strong value background,“ Gill said. ”Judo is made for kids that like to grapple and wrestle, have lots of energy and aren’t scared of contact.

“It’s very physical, it’s rough,” he added. “Definitely you need a certain character to practice.

“It’s the best sport for a little hyperactive kid.”

Allan Sattin, who is on the organizing committee for the event and is the chief instructor of the Hiro’s Judo Club in Calgary said the event is bringing a lot of people to the city -- and will again in 2026 and 2027.

“The city has agreed to help us host this event for three years, including (the) next two after this,” he said.

Sattin said that in addition to the athletes, there are hundreds of coaches and family members of athletes staying in hotels across the city to attend the event at the Olympic Oval at the University of Calgary.

He estimated around 2,500 to 3,000 people a day are attending.

“It is a great event to have,” Sattin said. “Judo is a wonderful sport. It’s a wonderful aspect to self-defence.”

Emiliya Aliyeva of Calgary competed in the plus 70 and -78 divisions, winning a gold in the plus 70 U18 division and silver in the U21.

“I felt really good about it because I’ve been training a lot for it and really wanted it,” Aliyeva said.

“I feel like I could be getting further in judo,” she added. “I just really like winning.”

She also won at the event in Quebec in 2024, but said it felt better to do well in her hometown.

“I like the people I hang out with, my friends, and the support,” she said. “I just like the energy.”

The event concludes Sunday.

For more information about judo, go here.

With files from CTV’s Tyler Barrow