Founded in 1958, the Judo program has grown from a handful of local competitors to become the driving force of the sport in the United States today. By the early 1970s, New York Athletic Club members were annually competing for the title of national champion in a number of weight divisions, winning many titles. In its history, the judo program has produced 164 national champions, in addition to 140 other medalists.
In 1976, the program expanded into international competition for the first time, sending its first Olympic judoka, Teimoc Johnston-Ono, to Montreal. And, since 1988, NYAC judokas have been a part of every US Olympic squad. In 1992, Jason Morris won the first Olympic medal in judo for the NYAC (silver), followed by Jimmy Pedro in 1996 (bronze). Pedro won another bronze in 2004, followed by our first female Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey in 2008.
The Club's ascension continued in 2012, when Myles Porter became the first NYAC athlete to compete in a Paralympic Games, claiming a silver medal, and Kayla Harrison became the first American to win Olympic gold in the sport. Harrison made history yet again at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games by defending her title. Travis Stevens also secured the silver medal in Rio. In fact, NYAC judokas have produced seven of the eight Olympic medals won by the USA in judo from 1992 to the present.
The New York Athletic Club wins multiple national and international titles every year and is indisputably the most successful judo program in the United States. Furthermore, the program originated the New York Open Judo Championships—the USA’s most prestigious international judo tournament—over 40 years ago, an event which the Club continues to host.
Chairs
Kevin Earls - Forty-plus years of participation in judo. Former NYAC competitor. Became Judo chairman in 1990. Former nine-year member of the NYAC Board of Governors, serving as Athletic Chairman and Captain. 5th degree black belt in judo.
Owen Tunney - Twenty-plus years of judo participation. Chairman/co-chairman of NYAC Judo since 2001. 2nd degree black belt in judo.
In addition to having the country's most elite competitive program, judo at the NYAC includes:
- Weekly workouts for Club members, from beginners to advanced students.
- Sponsorship and hosting of the New York Open Judo Championship, an international tournament that has been held at the Club for over 25 years and that attracts some of the best competitors in the world.
- Instruction for the Saturday Morning Program, a program that introduces a multitude of sports—including judo—to the children of NYAC members.