Step back in time to May 3, 1956, when Tokyo’s Kuramae Kokugikan hosted the inaugural World Judo Championship. Discover how 31 judokas from 21 nations competed in a dramatic open-weight contest that crowned Shokichi Natsui as the first world champion. Learn about the rise of European judo with Anton Geesink and Henri Courtine’s podium finishes, and how this event sparked the international expansion of judo, setting the stage for Olympic glory. Perfect for sports history fans and martial arts enthusiasts, this episode unpacks the drama, the heroes, and the legacy of a day that changed judo forever.
Check out Whistlekick Martial Arts Radio
https://www.whistlekickmartialartsradio.com/
Get the written podcast newsletter:
https://substack.com/@dailysportshistory?r=3en496&utm_medium=ios
📅 Listen now! 👉 DailySportsHistory.com 📲 Follow for more daily sports history insights!
Email: dailysportshistory@gmail.com
YouTube: YouTube.com/@dailysportshistory
Twitter: twitter.com/dailysportshis
Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551687917253&mibextid=ZbWKwL
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dailysportshistory.bsky.social
https://www.instagram.com/dailysportshis/profilecard/?igsh=OWl1MzIyYndqOGU2
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@dailysportshis
#Judo #WorldJudoChampionship #SportsHistory #MartialArts #Tokyo1956 #JudoHistory #OlympicJudo #JudoLegends #SportsPodcast #OnThisDayYouTube Tags:
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.