Sydney University judo club coach Kristof Frankowski has beaten a field of eleven international players in his age and weight (55 to 60 years under 100 kilograms) by four full points to be the first Australian to win a gold medal at the International Judo Federation’s World Grand Masters Championships in Frankfurt Germany in June 2011.
Frankowski had previously won gold at the World Masters Judo Associations World Championships and at the World Masters Games.
After wins against German and Hungarian opponents, Frankowski won pool D and then came close to missing the final after falling behind to local German representative Frank Klein by a penalty with just 15 seconds to go in the semi final. He took a shoulder throw grip on his opponents left arm and jumped in and threw the German for a full point one second before full time.
Frankowski then made short work of his Russian opponent in the final with two small scores via his amazing yoko tomeonage, a half point, and then a full point with his shoulder throw. Frankowski’s gold medal put Australia in 22nd place out of 49, in front of many higher rated countries.
Frankowski coaches as well as he fights, and his classes at the HK Ward are fun and well attended. Many male and female students are learning a fun self defence Olympic sport from top coaches at Sydney University. The Club has produced many Olympians and has strong results at the Australian University games. Beginners are shepherded through the early stags of training and taught how to fall safely, how to throw and how to apply arm locks. Female students have found judo to be great for self defense, for their confidence and great for its social events and networking.
