Isao Okano (JPN) vs. Lionel Grossain (FRA) 1964 Olympic Judo Quarterfinal

[chemistryfu]

Tight... can't wait to choke people tonight :)

[squooge]

Love this video, but have to disagree with the accompanying text; at no point is Okano in danger of being pinned. It is part of a signature rolling okuri eri jime attack; note how he arches underneath to accentuate the choke. As Okano rolls through, Grossain goes out in a matter of seconds - love to use this one myself!

[fullkitty]

@squooge If an Olympian is on top of you, there is always a danger of being pinned. =) The choke was tight and effective, but had Okano lost his grip or misjudged the placement of his hands, he could have gotten stuck on the bottom. Just as there are sacrifice throws, there are sacrifice mat techniques where one must risk ending up in a potentially disadvantageous position if the technique fails. And no technique exists in a vacuum where it is guaranteed to be 100% effective.

[jonezysan]

This is what I love about old sportmanship, it's not about your ego so much. Whether this match where he wins or his match with mischenko nobody goes around screaming or acting like an asshole, he's very respectful and everyones considerate.

[fullkitty]

@jonezysan Yeah, I really like the sportsmanship shown. Nowadays, there's no way the medics would even allow you to touch an downed opponent. =(

[Villis2010]

Interesting stuff. What's more interesting is the way Okano brings Grossain back to life - just like turning the button on.