The joy of judo

"Judo is a solo sport, in the bout you play as an individual, but you are never alone. There is a full team behind you. You are representing yourself, your coach, club, college, parents…” says national level judo player Benafsha Gazdar who won a silver medal in the Seniors State Championship 2006-07 at Nasik in June 2007. "I had just entered the seniors category (age 20 onwards) and I was one of the youngest among the players at the tournament.” When you know you are facing an older, more experienced opponent, it shakes your confidence and the power of the psyche comes into play, she analyses. "Every move becomes very important — speed, stance, strategy… I always think I have the strength to win.”

A medal the 20-year-old values greatly is the gold she won as a schoolgirl in 2003 when she was in her final year at The Alexandra Girls’ English Institution in Bombay. "The 10th standard is the most crucial year for all students. It was just a few weeks before the board exams that I represented Bombay for the first time at the state meet held at Parbhani, a small town near Nasik. I worked really very hard for it and it was this medal which launched my judo career,” she explains. At the national 49th School Games at Patiala in Punjab she secured second place, participating thereafter in the junior national judo championships in 2004-05 in Cochin and 2005-06 in New Delhi. At the state level, her bronze in Aurangabad in December 2004 was followed with a silver in Dhule in October 2005. At the Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika Mumbai mayor trophy competitions, Gazdar has won two bronze medals and a gold, and was adjudged the best player under 20 years at the tournament in 2004-05.

Benafsha Gazdar: strategy and "the strength to win”

Judo had been one of the activities in school from standard three. "It was Cawas Billimoria (well-known judoka, Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist who runs the Ippon Judo Academy) who spotted my hidden talent. His personality, achievements and approach were a great inspiration to me. I owe much to him and to my coaches Arshish Wadia and Tilak Thapa,” she narrates. "Even as a schoolgirl, she was a committed judo player, right into the sport,” commends Alexandra school principal Freny Mehta, adding that thereafter Gazdar used to come regularly to the school (through the Ippon Academy) to teach the children judo and fitness. "My principal and staff have been extremely supportive and I am very proud of my school,” asserts Gazdar.

Currently competing in the under 48 kg class, Gazdar trains four times a week at the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution and the National Sports Club of India. Judo means ‘the way of gentleness,’ she explains. The black belt exam is very difficult and very important: "It is not punishment, though at that moment you may feel so. It is extremely rewarding. One bout of judo builds strength, power and endurance. If I were to build these three components any other way, I would have to run for hours together or do strength training at the gym which would take much more time.” She is also a personal trainer.

Studying for her BCom at the H. R. College in Bombay, Gazdar looks forward to the forthcoming inter-college judo tournament in September where the winners in each weight category will go to the university nationals at Chandigarh. "I want to play at least for the next 10 years and I am trying very hard for international tournaments,” says the conscientious judoist.