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Okotoks judoka enjoy golden Alberta Winter Games

Judo: Hugo Brown, Shion Crook top the podium in Airdrie
Judo 7697 BWC
Okotoks' Hugo Brown, left, and Shion Crook both won gold medals in judo at the 2020 Alberta Winter Games. (Brent Calver/Western Wheel)

Two pathways led to the same golden result for a pair of Okotoks judoka.

For Shion Crook the 2020 Alberta Winter Games represented a shot at redemption and for friend and training partner Hugo Brown an opportunity to showcase his skills at the elite youth sports extravaganza — Feb. 14-17 in Airdrie.

“It feels really good because I competed two years ago in the Games and I didn’t medal,” said Crook. “It feels nice to redeem myself and take back the gold.

“I didn’t want to leave empty handed again.”

Crook left no room for doubt, overwhelming the opposition in the 81+ kg category to earn the individual gold.

“This year I wasn’t expecting too much because most of my big (competition) have all moved up,” Crook said. “I wasn’t expecting too much difficulty going into it.
“It was a good tournament, I was expecting a few fights, but nothing too difficult for me.”

The Grade 10 student at Holy Trinity Academy is a veteran in the sport at 15 and already has a national championship from the Canadian Open Judo Championships in 2019 on his resume.

“Most of my fights were fairly quick, not really much struggle for me because I was quite a lot stronger and bigger than the rest,” Crook said. “And also the experience factor, that I’ve been doing judo for 10, 11 years.

“It’s a sport that you need to put time into to become successful.”

Brown, a Grade 9 student at St. John Paul II Collegiate, had a golden debut at the Games on two fronts.

The 14-year-old won gold in the male under 40kg category and was part of Zone 2’s team competition championship in Airdrie.

“This was my first time being in a Winter Games and it was really fun,” said Brown. “I didn’t really expect it to be. I went to nationals and that was really fun, but Winter Games was almost better because I actually did well and it was a good experience for me.

“My first Games and straight off the bat gold which is pretty good for me. I’m happy about my achievement that I got.”

In the team event, Brown had one win and one loss while competing up a weight category, in the 45kg division, something he’s grown accustomed to in training.

“In my club there’s not really any people my size, as small as me,” Brown said. “I fight heavier people and I go to the competitions and they’re lighter so it’s kind of easier at my weight – so it’s easier to lift them off the ground.

“You have to be fast so they don’t expect it and then you just go and get them.”

Shion’s younger brother Taisei was part of Zone 2’s team competition triumph and was fourth in the individual in the male 45-50 kg category.

Judo has also been a family affair for Brown, whose been a judo practitioner for just about a decade.

“My dad did it at first and then all of my family caught on,” Brown said. “I started in 2009-10, I’ve been doing it ever since and it’s been really fun for me. It’s taught me a lot of things so far.

“How you have to have the determination and you have to overcome your fear before you step on the mat to actually fight the person. Everybody’s cheering and you have to try your hardest to get the goal you want to.”

Both young martial artists train extensively out of the Hiro’s Judo Club in Calgary.

Crook has also added jiu-jitsu to his repertoire as a means to round out his ground game.

“I just wanted to get more stuff to use on the ground,” Crook said. “It’s definitely helping because I’m getting better competing in judo, fighting on the ground I’m getting a lot stronger which is good because if a throw doesn’t work and you end up with someone on the ground trying to cover yourself, you have a lot more options than if you were to just use judo. You have all these extra things you can put into it.”


Remy Greer

About the Author: Remy Greer

Remy Greer is the assistant editor and sports reporter for westernwheel.ca and the Western Wheel newspaper. For story tips contact [email protected]
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