A Lausanne Tatami Moment Connects Maruyama and Orešković

Joshiro Maruyama and Petra Orešković came together in Lausanne in a meeting that highlighted two very different paths within judo. On 29 August, the retired Japanese world champion and the Croatian adapted judo athlete shared a moment that underlined the sport’s ability to bring people together.

Maruyama is one of Japan’s most recognisable recent judo stars. He won the -66 kg World Championship titles in 2019 and 2021, reached four World Championship finals and collected multiple IJF Grand Slam and Grand Prix victories during his career.

His Uchi-mata became a defining part of his judo: technically refined, yet capable of producing explosive scores. Maruyama was also involved in one of the sport’s most intense rivalries, facing fellow Japanese standout Hifumi Abe in a series of major contests.

Since retiring in February 2025, Maruyama has moved from competing to sharing the knowledge gathered throughout his career. His focus is no longer on pursuing medals himself, but on passing on his experience.

Orešković represents another important side of the judo community. The Croatian is a familiar figure in Europe’s adapted judo movement, with multiple medals from the Adapted Judo Kata European Championships and the EJU Get Together Tour.

She has cerebral palsy and faces potential challenges in everyday mobility, communication and social interaction. Her place in judo, however, has helped demonstrate a simple but meaningful point: disability should never decide whether someone belongs on the tatami.

In Lausanne, elite achievement and inclusive judo met on the same tatami.

Their stories are clearly different. Maruyama reached the highest level of international competition, while Orešković has spent years helping make judo more visible and accessible for athletes with disabilities. Yet their meeting showed that both journeys belong to the same sport.

For a few minutes in Lausanne, the distance between those experiences disappeared. It was a quiet but powerful reminder of what judo can represent beyond results and rankings.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union