JUDO: Five years ago, a 21-year-old Nathan Katz fell in his first-round Judo bout against Moroccan Imad Bassou at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Katz was devastated.
“In Rio I was sat on the floor crying into my mom's lap because it didn't go the way that I wanted at all,” Katz said.
Now 26, Katz can put that memory behind him as he did himself, his family, and his country proud in Tokyo.
Coming up - Australia begins its Judo campaign at the traditional home of the sport - Nippon Budokan #Tokyo2020
— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) July 25, 2021
Nathan Katz 🇦🇺 VS Juan Postigos of Peru 🇵🇪 in the Men’s 66kg Elimination Round of 32.
Let’s go Nathan! 💚💛#TokyoTogether pic.twitter.com/nJiA7Kd1XZ
The Victorian started steady in his first-round 66kg match-up against Peru’s Juan Postigus. Biding his time through a scoreless four-minutes-and-fifty-seconds, Katz pounced on Postigus securing an Ippon finish and his ticket through to the round of 16.
“I started a little bit slow. I was a bit nervous. Obviously, I was thinking all the morning about Rio and winning,” Kats said.
“But once I got into the match I realised, this is where I belong.
“He was real physical. I've lost to him before. He actually bashed me like three years ago. I remember bits of that match, and I was thinking to myself 'I am much better than I was then'.”
However, the fairy-tale run wasn’t to be with Katz falling to Israeli Barunch Shmailov by Waza-Ari in the round of 16.
Shmailov came into the meeting fresh off his own Ippon finish over Mozambiique’s Kevin Loforte.
“Today obviously didn't go exactly the way I was hoping. My aim was to get into the top eight and then to see what could happen,” Katz said.
“But it's a more positive experience. I'm not going home heartbroken, I'm disappointed but I'll be alright.”
Katz was a late edition to the Australian Olympic Team receiving a last-minute call up earlier this month with the continental roll-down of spots.
“It's not where I thought I was going to be three weeks ago, that's for sure. It's been a hard couple of weeks. It's been a really hard couple of weeks,” Katz said.
“My body hasn't really enjoyed coming back to Judo, but honestly, I'd give anything to be here today and fight for Australia. It's my favourite thing to do, fight for Australia.
“Daniel, my coach just kept saying 'this is where you want to be, this is where you want to be' and I felt that all day.”
This certainly isn’t the end for Katz who has a bright future still ahead.
“I’ll have a break and I’ll come back.”
Matthew Barnard
