Neil Adams (judoka)

Neil Adams

Neil Adrian Adams , MBE (born September 27, 1958 in Rugby , Warwickshire ) is an English judoka who has won several Olympic medals and world titles.

biography

youth

Adams attended Myton School in Warwick . He trained in judo as a child with his brother Christopher Adams , who later became known in the United States as the wrestler "Gentleman" Chris Adams. Adams was initially trained by his father. When he moved to London at the age of 16, British judo pioneer Brian Jacks became his trainer.

Professional career

His sporting successes include a gold medal at the World Championships in Judo in 1981 in Maastricht , the Netherlands and silver medals at the Summer Olympics in 1980 and 1984 , as well as at the World Championships in 1983. He was also five-time European champion.

He was the first male Briton who ever won a world title in judo and also the first male British man to hold a world and European title at the same time. On September 20, 2008, at the age of 49, shortly before his fiftieth birthday, he reached 8th Dan . In 1983 he was awarded the Order of Member of the Order of the British Empire .

Adams also became known in Japan, where he was nicknamed Happo Bigin ("Everyone's Friend").

Trainer

1996 Neil Adams was coach of the English judo team at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta . He was a commentator at the 2000 Summer Olympics .

In March 2009 he resigned as coach of the Welsh Judo Association , a position he had held for several years and which he had been mediated by Keven Williams . Adams is currently the national coach in Belgium .

Neil Adams founded the martial arts school Neil Adams Effective Fighting Ltd. , which offers seminars around the world, and the mail order company Fighting Films , which offers judo accessories as well as various DVDs of fights, as well as school and practice DVDs.

Neil Adams made several appearances on British television. In 1982 and 1985 he appeared in the BBC show Superstars , where he finished sixth (1982) and fourth (1985). In the 2000s he also appeared as a judo trainer on the celebrity show The Games on Channel 4 .

Private life

Adams is married to Nikki Adams (née Jenkins). His wife is also a judoka and was on the Canadian Olympic team. The two have two daughters and one son.

title

• European Judo Championships :

  1978 in Helsinki: 3rd (lightweight - 71 kg)

  1979 in Brussels: 1st (lightweight - 71 kg)

  1980 in Vienna: 1st (medium weight -78 kg)

  1982 in Rostock: 3rd (light middle weight -78 kg)

  1983 in Paris: 1st (light middle weight -78 kg)

  1984 in Liège: 1st (medium weight -78 kg)

  1985 in Hamar: 1st (light middle weight -78 kg)

• Judo World Championships :

  1979 in Paris: 3rd (lightweight - 71 kg)

  1981 in Maastricht: 1st (light middleweight -78)

  1983 in Moscow: 2nd (light middle weight -78 kg)

  1985 in Seoul: 3rd (light middle weight -78 kg)

• Olympic Games :

  1980 in Moscow: 2nd (lightweight - 71 kg)

  1984 in Los Angeles: 2nd (light middle weight -78 kg)

Web links

Commons : Neil Adams  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• Neil Adams Effective Fighting Ltd.
• Fighting Films
• Neil Adams on Judoinside (English)
• Neil Adams in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Profiles at Olympics.org.uk

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Neil Adams interview. (No longer available online.) Kombatclinic.com, November 27, 2009, archived from the original on February 7, 2011 ; Retrieved January 6, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} profile. InspirationalSpeakers.co.uk, accessed January 6, 2011 . 
3. ^ Judo Heroes - 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games website
4. ↑ Superstars roll of honor. news.bbc.co.uk , accessed January 6, 2010 .