COMFORTING HIS OPPONENT

I was watching a few of the Tokyo Olympics Judo matches yesterday, and was interested to see a brother and sister from Japan, Hifumi Abe and Uta Abe, compete in their respective weight divisions on the same day.

I honestly don’t know all that much about Judo, and as the matches progressed, it looked “for all the world” like Greco-Roman wrestling to me. But be that as it may, it was obvious the athletes had spent a great amount of time, and exerted immense amounts of effort training for their event.

As it fell together each of the Abe’ siblings won gold medals in Judo on the same day! Irrespective of this amazing development, (and the significance of it cannot be exaggerated), the conclusion of Hifumi’s gold winning match against Georgia’s Vazha Margvelashvili was, from both a counselor’s, and human being’s point of view, the most singular moment of all the multiplied moments in either match.

For you see, as the Judo finals match between Hifumi and Vazha tick tocked its way to an end, the former had outscored the latter, and was declared not only the winner, but the recipient of the Olympic gold medal.

Of course, Uta, Hifumi’s sister, who had in the preceding hours won her own gold medal, was at that moment seated in the arena, and clapped wildly and was all smiles. Hifumi was equally thrilled with his win and they celebrated together.

However, Vazha’s face registered his abject dismay. He had come so far in his quest for the gold medal in Judo, until the final round, only to come up short of his quest. Granted, second was good enough for the Olympic silver medal, but it was obviously not good enough for Vazha. Now, when Hifumi’s celebration was over, he stepped up to his defeated foe, shook his hand, and embraced him.

It was then that Vazha revealed the deep pain which threatened to overwhelm him. Suddenly, his head drooped on the conqueror’s shoulder, and rested there for what seemed an eternity, but could not have been more than a few seconds.

And then the moment passed

And yet, I cannot begin to describe the empathy I felt for the poor man when his head almost involuntarily fell onto his opponent’s shoulders. I have rarely felt anything like it. The Georgian was devasted that he could not take home the gold medal to his country and countrymen, and I vicariously felt his pain.

 

I think both men, the conqueror and the defeated foe, have much to teach us about love and empathy, comradery and encouragement. For in their respective victory and defeat each served as a unique role model for all who witnessed those fleeting few moments which transpired in the finals Judo match at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending