4 March 2025
ADF judokas took podium finishes at the Judo Australia Canberra International Open judo tournament.
Father-and-son duo Privates Charles and Obian Laidlaw both won gold, while Flying Officer Keresi Farouk took the bronze medal in the tournament held in Goulburn on February 22-23.
A health operator and nidan black belt, Charles won the under-66kg M5 veterans category, with decisive ippons sealing his victories.
“I was feeling some apprehension because I have struggled with both of my opponents in the past, but I had beaten them too, so I was fairly confident,” he said.
“I came in with much more decisive action trying to put them away and was happy I followed my game plan.”
He pinned his first opponent and executed a soto makikomi, or outer winding throw, to secure the second win and first place.
His son Obian, an Army driver and brown belt, took gold in the senior kyu grades under-73kg category.
After losing his opening bout and being knocked out of the senior men’s competition on the first day, Obian came back with two impressive wins on day two.
He won the first match with a suplex-like ura-nage throw, and secured a juji gatame, or arm bar submission, in the second fight to win the brown belt competition.
Obian said while it felt good to get the wins, recent changes to his judo training had made him more confident about the way he fought.
“Beforehand I was very good at just getting in and fighting, but I didn’t really have any structure. Now I do, so it felt good that I could actually start to implement it and see the results,” he said.
“When I strayed from that structure, that’s when I didn’t do so well, so it really cemented that I need to stick to it.”
'It’s every father’s dream to be able to share a sport they love with their son, and for us to both come out with gold medals just finishes it off perfectly.'
Charles said it was a thrill to see how far Obian had come in his fighting skills.
“It’s every father’s dream to be able to share a sport they love with their son, and for us to both come out with gold medals just finishes it off perfectly,” he said.
Shodan black belt Flying Officer Keresi Farouk finished third place in the senior women’s plus-78kg category.
Flying Officer Farouk lost in the qualifying matches and worked to quickly identify her weaknesses and pivot in order to get a medal.
In the third-place play-off, despite being dragged around the mat by her much larger opponent, she executed a hane makikomi (springing wraparound) to secure the win.
“This competition was definitely fun because you had different sized opponents and you can use different tashi-waza [standing techniques],” she said.
She started judo as a child in Fiji and said the sport became like church – something she could always go back to.
“Judo gives a sense of community and connection with people of shared interest,” Flying Officer Farouk said.
“Judo helps you stay humble and teaches that if you want something you have to work for it. It’s a good way to self-assess and know your weakness. If you are unfit in the lead-up to a comp, you quickly change your habits for the next one and adapt to garner advantage.
“I am grateful to be a part of an organisation that has a community in a sport that I love.”
The ADF Combat Sports Association assists members competing in tournaments by covering fees and logistics.
ADF Combat Sports Association membership and related inquiries can be directed to adf.csa@defence.gov.au
