Electric start at Nicole-Oba Gymnasium
Nicole-Oba Gymnasium burst into cheers as the first ippon landed, setting an electric tone for the 2025 Congo National Judo Championships. For two packed days the arena in Talangaï district became a living billboard of discipline, respect and raw athletic courage for every single bout.
Family groups, school friends and retired champions filled the rows, waving paper flags each time a favourite judoka stepped onto the tatami. Security staff counted more than three thousand spectators over the weekend, an encouraging sign for a federation eager to widen the sport’s grassroots.
Eight Leagues, 350 Competitors
Official entry lists showed 350 competitors, including 118 women, representing eight departmental leagues: Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire/Kouilou, Niari, Bouenza, Pool, Plateau, Cuvette and Sangha. Matches covered junior and senior brackets, with weight classes ranging from under-48kg to over-78kg for women and under-60kg to over-100kg for men athletes.
Referees in crisp white gi jackets kept a tight schedule, running nearly ninety bouts per day. Each contest followed international rules, but the chants from the stands added a distinctly Congolese rhythm that turned every hold-down into a communal test of nerves and pure pride.
Brazzaville Leads Medal Table
When medals were tallied, Brazzaville’s league delivered a near-clean sweep: 13 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze. Pointe-Noire/Kouilou followed at a distance with one gold, two silver and three bronze, while Cuvette secured third place thanks to a silver-bronze double applauded by traveling northern supporters.
Sangha left with two bronze medals, Pool and Niari each pocketed one, whereas Bouenza and Plateaux finished empty-handed despite spirited performances. Yet even defeated fighters received lengthy ovations; the final applause often drowned out the announcer calling the next match, proof of widespread local passion.
Rising Stars Steal the Show
Several household names, long accustomed to podium routines, fell earlier than expected. In the men’s under-60kg division, newcomer Arnaud Okenge from Makélékélé suburb defeated two-time national champion Serge Ngoma with a lightning hip-throw that drew gasps and replay requests on every mobile phone in sight.
Among women, Brazzaville’s 19-year-old Patience Loubaki captured her first senior gold in the under-52kg class, edging seasoned rival Christelle Mavoungou in golden-score overtime. Loubaki later admitted feeling “nervous but fearless,” crediting extra dawn training sessions held on the banks of the Congo River for stamina.
Federation Plans International Push
Federation president Neyl Francis Ata used the closing ceremony to congratulate winners and challengers alike, reminding coaches that international qualifiers begin soon. “We cannot rest on domestic laurels,” he said, urging regional leagues to file athlete assessment sheets before mid-October to streamline national team selection.
Ata emphasised that junior standouts will receive tailored guidance so Congo can field competitive squads at the 2026 African Championships. The federation also plans refresher clinics for referees, reasoning that transparent officiating reinforces the trust indispensable to any combat sport’s growth across the entire territory.
Fans Keep the Energy High
Supporters kept their energy high from first bell to final medal, chanting league slogans and displaying homemade banners. The steady drums and whistles echoed long after each contest ended, reflecting a community that sees judo not only as combat but as shared celebration of identity.
Centralised Camp on the Horizon
Looking ahead, departmental coaches are expected to submit training plans within weeks. The federation intends to merge top performers into a centralised camp, likely in Brazzaville, where video analysis and strength conditioning will target grip endurance — the area most cited by losing semifinalists this year.
Talent scouts will also monitor academic performance, because scholarship partnerships require athletes to balance study and sport. By tying mats to classrooms, officials hope to reassure parents who still hesitate to let daughters pursue high-impact disciplines beyond secondary school graduation, encouraging healthier choices for youth.
Outside Leagues Plot Comeback
While Brazzaville celebrated, coaching committees from lesser-medalled leagues held impromptu meetings in the bleachers, dissecting footage and noting mistakes. Many blamed limited tatami time, yet acknowledged that stronger grassroots networks in the capital create a pipeline difficult to replicate without additional mats and coaches elsewhere.
In private, several athletes from outlying departments said the surge of Brazzaville victories motivates rather than discourages them. “A medal tastes sweeter after a bus ride of 700 kilometres,” smiled Pointe-Noire lightweight Henri Moubiala, tightening the team scarf around his shoulders under the evening lights.
Judo Unites the Nation
From the first bow to the last anthem, the championship projected an image of constructive rivalry feeding national cohesion. Spectators from every department stood together when the tricolour rose, proof that judo, rooted in mutual respect, can bridge geographical distances and nurture the optimism crucial to collective progress.
