Bring on Tokyo

NO PAIN, NO GAIN: Sydnee Andrews got to take on an Olympian in Perth-based Gisborne Judo Club member Darcina Manuel, who has been helping train female judoka at the club while back visiting family and friends. Picture by Paul Rickard

BY Darcina Manuel’s calculations her Commonwealth Games bronze medal and competing at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil has cost $70,000 over the past 10 years. But when asked if it was worth it, the 24-year-old — who is based in Perth but still fights under the Gisborne Judo Club banner — was adamant . . . “absolutely”.

“New Zealand Judo helped a little bit financially but basically judo players have to self-fund their way to tournaments around the world if we want to qualify for the big events,” said Manuel, who is in “beautiful Gisborne” visiting family and friends.

“Winning bronze at the Commonwealth Game in Scotland in 2014 was awesome and not just for me, but all my family who have supported me over the past 10 years, and my Gisborne judo family, especially Kiki (Reedy-Velloza).

“To make the Olympics, even though I didn’t medal, was something I’ll never forget. It was a reward for all the years of hard work. And to have Dad (Darcy), Mum (Rose), my little sister Taonga (12) and Kiki in Rio, along with a friend from work and his wife, made it even more special.”

Move to AustraliaThe former Waikirikiri School and Lytton High student left for Perth with her family when she was 14.

“Dad thought there would be more work opportunities for the family in Australia.

“I took a break from judo for about the first six months in Australia. But before I left Gisborne my first coach, Quentin Hollis, said I should continue doing judo.

“My dad, who is a brown belt (one below black), also encouraged me to get back into it. He always told me I had the potential to compete at the Olympics and he kept driving me on. He’s a good driver . . . even though he drives me nuts some times. But he said that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. It was good advice.”

Manuel joined the Kano club for a year, then started training with the UWA (University of Western Australia) and Judo International clubs.

“I’ve been in Australia for 10 years and the Australian federation wants me to fight for them, but I’m a proud Kiwi, proud Maori. There’s no way I could wear their colours although I do like Aussies — they’re a friendly bunch.”

Credit to coachesWhile Manuel credits Reedy-Velloza as her coach, mentor and “the one who really made it possible for me to get to the Olympics” , she says her Aussie coach Karina Bryant deserves a lot of credit.

“Karina represented Great Britain at four successive Olympics and won bronze in the heavyweight division in 2012. Kiki was with me in Spain and Slovakia for my final preparations before the Olympics, but before that Karina had devised me a tough 12-week training programme and it all came together in Spain and Slovakia.

“Having been to four Olympics, Karina knew what I was in for and what I needed to do,” said Manuel. “I trained really well in Spain and went on to win bronze in the European Judo Cup competition in Bratislava, Slovakia."

Reedy-Velloza was thrilled with the result.

“Darcina won three of her four fights and lost only by a marginal point in her first fight,” Reedy-Velloza told The Herald at the time. “She showed her courage and skill when she fought back to take the bronze medal. It showed we were on the right track for the Olympics.”

Rio OlympicsManuel was eliminated in the round of 16 in the women’s under-57 kilograms division at Rio.

She beat Russian Irina Zabludina in her round of 32 fight but lost to world No.10 Telma Monteiro, of Portugal, who went on to win bronze.

Gisborne Judo Club coach Jason King said that while Manuel may not have won the war (a medal) but “she won a huge battle just reaching the Olympics”.

“And to beat a player from Russia, considering the strength of judo there, Darcina’s win was pretty special.”

Manuel and Reedy-Velloza arrived at the Olympic Village five days before the championships started.

“It was great being among the early arrivals, as we could get our bearings, and the fact that Kiki speaks Portuguese meant she made things a lot easier for me whenever we left the village. Sometimes you felt trapped in the village. Getting out was easy. Getting back in was a lot harder. Security was really tight but the atmosphere, especially among the Kiwis, was the best.

“There were no bigheads, everyone was so down to earth, really lovely athletes. Kiki and I attended the opening ceremony but we didn’t hang around for the closing ceremony. My goal was to get there and compete, and I achieved that. It was also easier to watch the events on TV in the lounge at the village. Getting to different events around the other venues wasn’t easy.”

Supreme sportpersonFast-forward five months and while the winner of the supreme sportsperson title at the 2016 Tairawhiti Maori Sports Awards is enjoying her downtime, she has her sights set on the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“Judo is not one of the sports at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (on the Gold Coast), which is really disappointing, as I wouldn’t have to travel as far as I have been doing to compete if I qualified.

“That means the focus in on Tokyo, with the world champs in Hungary in August/September the next major event on the horizon.”

Reedy-Velloza says Manuel’s Olympian status has opened the door to a possible move to Hungary.

“The offer to go there and live for one year is on the table but nothing is definite yet. It would be a fantastic opportunity to train and compete against European players.”

Before heading back across the Tasman, Manuel has been helping Reedy-Velloza train “Kiki’s girls”.

“It’s good to be able to put something back into judo and the club where it all started.”