Doug Rogers (judoka) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Doug Rogers

Doug Rogers, Isao Inokuma, Parnaoz Chikviladze and Anzor Kiknadze at the 1964 Olympics
Personal information
Born	(1941-01-26)January 26, 1941 Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died	July 20, 2020(2020-07-20) (aged 79) Vancouver, British Columbia
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	118 kilograms (260 lb) (1964)
Sport
Country	Canada
Sport	Judo
Rank	Rokudan (6th dan)
Club	Takushoku University, Tokyo
Coached by	Masahiko Kimura Frank Hatashita
Medal record Olympic Games Silver 1964 Tokyo Heavyweight World Championships Bronze 1965 Rio de Janeiro +80 kg Pan American Games Gold 1967 Winnipeg Open class Silver 1967 Winnipeg Heavyweight

Alfred Harold Douglas Rogers (born January 26, 1941 – died July 20, 2020) was a Canadian judo athlete. He was the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in judo. Doug Rogers is also an honored member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. His best achievements include a silver medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He also won gold medals at the Pan American Games in 1965 and 1967. He learned judo from the famous Masahiko Kimura.

Doug Rogers' Early Life and Judo Journey

Doug Rogers was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. When he was young, he was a talented ice hockey player. He even won the Ontario Minor Hockey Championships as a top-scoring defenceman.

Starting Judo as a Teenager

At age 15, Doug joined a judo club at the Montreal YMCA. His first teacher, called a sensei, quickly saw his talent. The sensei soon told Doug that he had taught him everything he knew. He then sent Doug to a different judo school, called a dojo, run by Fred Okimura.

Doug kept practicing judo while he was in high school. In 1958, he won the Eastern Canada brown belt title. The next year, he earned his black belt title.

Moving to Japan for Judo Training

Doug Rogers was accepted into McGill University in Canada. However, he had a bigger dream. He was also accepted to train at the Kodokan in Japan. The Kodokan is a very famous judo center. So, in 1960, at age 19, Doug flew to Japan to focus on his judo skills.

Training with the Best in Japan

In Japan, the best judo athletes often came from police academies and universities. These top fighters would visit the Kodokan every week to practice. Doug made sure to train with them. He especially trained with judoka from the police academy and Takushoku University. This is how he met Masahiko Kimura. Kimura was a legendary judo master and the coach of Takushoku University.

Preparing for the Olympics

Doug Rogers was so good that he could hold his own against Japan's top judo players. The Canadian Olympic Committee noticed him. They were looking for athletes who could win medals. They were also happy that Doug was already in Japan, where the 1964 Olympics would be held.

Doug decided to return to Canada first to compete in the national championships. At first, the Olympic Committee was not sure about paying for his flight back to Japan. But they eventually agreed to pay for a one-way ticket.

Olympic Success in Tokyo

At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Doug Rogers won a silver medal. He competed in the heavyweight category. Parts of his silver medal match against Isao Inokuma were even shown in a famous documentary film called Tokyo Olympiad.

Life After the Olympics

After the Olympics, Doug trained full-time with Masahiko Kimura and the Takushoku University team. In 1965, Doug joined the All-Japan University Championships. He was part of the Takushoku University team. They won the championship for the first time in many years. Doug was the first non-Asian person to compete in this tournament. He was also named the tournament's best fighter.

Learning from a Legend

Doug felt a strong connection to Kimura. He saw him as a father figure and stayed in touch with him for many years. Kimura believed in strong physical fitness. He taught simple, powerful judo moves. His training style was less formal than what many people expect in martial arts. He often wore sweatpants and only put on his judo uniform, called a judogi, when he needed to show a technique.

Kimura wanted Doug to stay in Japan for another year. However, Doug decided to return to Canada. He wanted to become a professional pilot. He had already earned a private pilot's license at age 16. After a summer tour with his team, Doug left Japan in 1965. His teammates and coach Kimura came to see him off.

Continued Achievements and Later Life

Back in Canada, Doug Rogers continued to achieve great things. He won gold medals at two Pan American Games. He also won several Canadian National championships.

Even after many years away from serious training, Doug showed his amazing judo skill. He took 5th place at the 1972 Summer Olympics. By then, he was spending many hours flying planes instead of practicing judo. He no longer had Kimura as his coach. He also did not have the same level of practice partners that a world champion needs.

Doug Rogers later retired from his career as an airline pilot. He was married and had four grown children. While he was less active in judo later in life, he still visited local tournaments. He was often invited to be a guest coach at judo clubs in the Vancouver area.

See also

• Judo in Quebec
• Judo in British Columbia
• Judo in Canada
• List of Canadian judoka

In Spanish: Doug Rogers para niños