More time for judo matches? Analysis of type of techniques, time, scores, and penalties in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the distribution of judo matches in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, considering matches in the regular duration (≤4 min) and during the extra time (the golden score) according to sex, scores, penalties, phases of competition, weight categories, and judo techniques. The data were extracted from the Official Results Books of the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020. The combats were divided in matches that were finished in the regular duration and that were finished by the golden score, with a total of 450 matches. The Chi-square test was used to identify the association between all variables and different groups of matches duration, with the level at p < 0.05. The main results demonstrated significant association, considering sex and frequency of matches in the regular time (χ2 = 6.59; p = 0.010) for female athletes. The majority of matches ended in the 3–4 min (χ2 = 204.16; p < 0.001), scores were mostly awarded in the regular time and penalties in the golden score (χ2 = 48.72; p < 0.001), and few matches ended by the golden score for heavyweight athletes (χ2 = 15.16; p = 0.019). Therefore, a high number of matches ended in the golden score in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, with a high number of penalties in this competition.

Match-Related Performance in Junior and U23 Judo European Championship: Influence of Covid-2019 Pandemic

“…Then a judo expert (a judo coach, more than 30 years of judo experience and black belt) tabulated the data, and another judo coach (more than 15 years of judo experience and black belt) performed the statistical analysis. Considering that the analyzed data were obtained from an open access website in secondary form and were not produced experimentally, there is no ethical problem in examining or interpreting them [6,8].…”

“…The proportion and variety of techniques used in a judo competition may vary depending on gender, weight categories and competition outcome [8]. However, it is important to highlight the successive rule changes that occurred in judo [9,10] specially in the 2015 and 2018 Judo World Championships [11,12].…”

Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Practices of Judo Athletes and S&C Coaches: A Survey-Based Investigation

“…Judo participation continues to grow with an increased number of judokas competing in high-level competitions (e.g., world judo events) (35). Successful judokas demonstrate superior technical and tactical skills, including grips (i.e., kumi-kata [see Table 1 for definitions of judo terminology]), feints, and transition to groundwork (23,40,41,52) and can repeat such skills over a competition (48). These demands have increased because of rule changes, whereby a 4-minute match can be extended indefinitely until a winner prevails (40).…”

“…Successful judokas demonstrate superior technical and tactical skills, including grips (i.e., kumi-kata [see Table 1 for definitions of judo terminology]), feints, and transition to groundwork (23,40,41,52) and can repeat such skills over a competition (48). These demands have increased because of rule changes, whereby a 4-minute match can be extended indefinitely until a winner prevails (40). To support these extensive physical demands, judokas should possess well-adapted physiological (17), physical (34), neuromuscular (14), and psychological (69) attributes.…”

World Rank List of Female Judokas and its Relation to Results of Tokyo Olympics (2020)

“…For example, some female matches reached 16.41 minutes while some male matches reached 12.15 minutes during competitions of Tokyo Olympics 2020. (Kons et. al.…”