Wayne Watson
Black Belt, 7th Dan
Judoka Wayne Watson has captured more than 40 national judo titles since the eighties. He won the Oceania judo titles in 1988 (U95) and 1996 (O95), and was the bronze medalist at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
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Wayne's Biography
Wayne Watson first became a member of Wanganui Judo Club in 1965 when he was 8 years old. He stopped judo classes after a year, then resumed two years later because he was being bullied at school.
Wayne has been practicing the sport for over 50 years, and he has been a member of Wanganui Judo Club since he was a child. He became the leader of the club when he was 15 years old. Taking over from his Sensei Don McKay and Sensei Rod Johnston in 1972 to continue the legacy of Whanganui’s longest-running judo club.
Wayne has achieved a lot during his time as a judo practitioner. He received his first black belt when he was 16 years old, and he has won the New Zealand Open Weight title 10 times – a record that has yet to be broken. Despite his success, Wayne still believes in the motto that the club had when he was younger, “fight hard and train harder.”
It’s not often you get the opportunity to train with a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist! Wayne loves teaching judo to others and sharing his knowledge and experience. He is passionate about the sport and loves teaching it to others because he knows that judo can teach valuable life skills, including respect, self-control, and courage.
