ABOUT THE CLUB
Tori Judo is a Registered Judo Club, a member of the Australian Kodokan Judo Association, member of the World Judo Federation as part of the Victorian Amateur Judo Union. Originally established under the license of Shudokan Judo Academy, which was led by Ivan Zavetchanos and Celie Zavetchanos, with its origins dating back to 1947-48. Tori Judo is now a VAJU registered club under its own name. The club's objective is that of promoting and growing the martial art of Judo.
The club specialises in Judo classes for all ages and levels puts emphasis on every element of the martial art: Fitness & Agility, Technique, Randori & Shihai (Sparring and Contest) and finally Kata (Official/Traditional Forms) as well as practical application through aspects of Self Defence.
4th Dan
Head Coach
Jakub Sawczuk
Head Coach and Club Founder:
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Our head coach boasts an impressive 23-year career in judo, accentuated by his 4th Dan black belt from the Australian Kodokan Judo Association. His journey in martial arts began at the age of 6 with Wu Shu, training for five years before transitioning to athletics, specializing in 800m and 1500m races, and exploring 400m and cross-country running, always with a focus on the competitive aspect. His judo career began at the age of 18, where he brought extensive knowledge around cross-training. This includes a notable bronze medal win at the WJF World Judo Championships in Brazil. He has trained and competed extensively across Europe and the Asia Pacific with both the IJF International Judo Federation and the AKJA Australian Kodokan Judo Association, and has been a consistent competitor at both national and international levels, starting from the age of 18 at the Kiwi Club Osaka Goodwill Tournament in Japan.
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He is deeply involved in the judo community, serving as the National Treasurer and State Secretary for the Australian Kodokan Judo Association, emphasizing his commitment to promoting judo at both community and national levels. His robust competitive record includes multiple national championships in Australia in both Shihai and Kata, and achievements as Grand Champion at the Fukuda Kata Tournament in San Francisco.
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In 2023, he holds the national titles as the AKJA Champion for Seniors Under 100kg and Masters Under 100kg categories and has consistently regained titles year on year across various categories. His international competition history is distinguished by being ranked #4 in the Olympic ranking in Australia under 90kg. Over the years, he has competed in the under 81kg, 90kg, under 100kg categories, and in Open and team tournaments, training with national judo teams globally, which has enriched his skills and teaching approach.
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Jakub's background in various sports has endowed him with extensive depths of knowledge on national team training practices. He has trained national medal winners and brings a wealth of experience to his coaching.
In addition to his athletic accomplishments, he leads innovative projects in blockchain technology for judo. He spearheads the Digital Budo ID implementation at International Budo University in Japan, aiming to create a platform that could be used by all martial arts under Budo and Nippon Budokan. This pioneering work integrates NFT and IPFS technologies in partnership with his own software company, AEM Algorithm, the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub, Filecoin Ecosystem, and Linden Canada.
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As a Yawara Representative and Brand Ambassador, he not only promotes judo equipment but also embodies the spirit and discipline of judo. His extensive experience and forward-thinking projects make our club a premier destination for aspiring judokas and those interested in the intersection of technology and traditional martial arts. Join us to train under a seasoned champion and a visionary leader in the world of judo.