San Francisco 2012 - In Their Own Words

“The spacious environment of the San Jose Convention Center will permit organizers to customize the venue to achieve optimal conditions for judo at the 2012 Games. By arranging almost 15,000 frenzied spectators from around the globe into an enclosed bowl, the facility will allow spectators to feel as though they’re part of the action during each match. The athletes will be able to feed off this energy to compete at their highest level. On the other hand, during preparation, each athlete will have access to his or her own cabin and a wide variety of training facilities. This will allow the athlete to quietly warm-up and focus on the upcoming match. By combining these two environments, San Francisco 2012 will provide the best conditions for both training and competition, setting the stage for a memorable judo competition.”

-Mike Swain, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 Judo