From the first training sessions organised at the Pioneers' House in the 1960s to European medals and Olympic appearances, Oradea has earned an important place on the map of Romanian judo.

On World Judo Day, marked on 28 October, former and current athletes are continuing a tradition of achievement, discipline and respect.

According to coach Alexandru Chirila, one of the people who have helped train several generations of judoka, the story of judo in Oradea began in the 1960s, when the first sections operated at the Pioneers' House, followed by the Sports School and the University Sports Club. The establishment of the Romanian Judo Federation in 1968 marked an important milestone in the organised development of the sport.

'28 October is dedicated to the founder of judo, Jigoro Kano, who transformed a martial art into a system of physical and moral education. Judo gradually developed as a competitive sport, but its initial purpose was primarily educational. In Oradea, judo was introduced by Arus Emeric, a well-known figure in the sporting world who is no longer with us. He later settled in the United States, where he died two or three years ago. He was an outstanding athlete who finished fifth in the fencing event at the Rome Olympic Games and was passionate about martial arts. He was the first person to practise judo in Oradea and later also took up karate and aikido,' Alexandru Chirila told AGERPRES on Wednesday.

He sums up the philosophy of the sport in a principle that extends beyond the training hall.

'First and foremost, judo promotes overcoming oneself. Your main opponent is yourself, not the person standing in front of you. It means getting up from the sofa, going to training and committing to a schedule and a goal. Secondly, unlike other martial arts, judo emphasises flexibility rather than strength or endurance. The idea is to yield to your opponent's force, control it and use it to your advantage. This is one of the fundamental principles of judo,' Chirila said.

Judo in Oradea began at the Pioneers' House with Arus Emeric and Halmageanu before developing further at the University Sports Club and the Sports School, where several local coaches came together. With the emergence of senior athletes and participation in Division A, a judo section was established at Rapid Oradea, affiliated with the CFR club.

School inspector Stelian Coanda also made an important contribution by supporting young athletes as they progressed from junior to senior level. 'He was a man with vision. He fought to ensure that we could take the children through to senior level,' Alexandru Chirila recalls.

In 1981, the judo section at Rapid Oradea was established under the guidance of coach Alexandru Chirila. In 1995, Marius Vizer founded Liberty Judo Club, which went on to win the European Club Champions Cup in 1999.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN NISTOR / AGERPRES FOTO
The Oradea judo school has also produced figures who later achieved remarkable careers in sport and business. Having started training in the commune of Tinca, Marius Vizer went on to become president of the International Judo Federation, a position he has held since 2007. Meanwhile, Zoltan Teszari, a European junior silver medallist in 1990, became a prominent business figure as the founder of the Digi Group.

Oradea can also take pride in Florin Daniel Lascau, a former national champion in several age categories who, after settling in Germany, became a world champion representing that country.

'I believe Oradea deserves its place among Romania's great judo success stories over the years. We continue to achieve results even at an advanced age. I founded the country's first veterans' club. Among the successful athletes is Andrei Otvos, who became a world veterans' champion last year and again this year at nearly 70 years of age,' Alexandru Chirila said.

The tradition continues through the athletes of CSM Oradea, who achieve significant results at national and international level. One of Romania's leading judoka at present is 24-year-old Alex George Cret, who represents CSM Oradea and competed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Photo: (c) GRIGORE POPESCU / AGERPRES FOTO
The athlete has won two bronze medals at the European Senior Championships, in Zagreb in 2024 and Tbilisi in 2026. In October 2026, he won gold at the Romanian Senior Cup, while his team-mates Ioan Dzitac and Robert Boldis won silver medals.

In November 2025, the CSM Oradea men's team won the national senior team title, bringing the city's tally in this event to 17 titles.

'It is certainly an important day for our club as well, given that we have been overseeing this section for more than 20 years. It has a remarkable tradition, with multiple national champions in both team and individual events, as well as international achievements that make Oradea judo a symbol of our club and of Romanian judo as a whole,' CSM Oradea director Serban Sere told AGERPRES.

On World Judo Day, a team of four Romanian athletes, including Alex Cret, is in Abu Dhabi competing in the senior Grand Slam. Emil Morar, head coach of the men's national team, says the new generation offers reasons for optimism ahead of the next major competitions.

'Judo has a long tradition in Oradea and Bihor County, having produced outstanding results, medals at European and world championships and qualifications for the Olympic Games. We now have a young, ambitious and talented generation, with medals at junior and youth competitions, in whom we place our hopes for qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,' Emil Morar told AGERPRES.

Beyond medals, judo remains a school of character. Veteran coach Alexandru Chirila believes that respect, discipline and self-control are the values that have accompanied generations of Oradea judoka and continue to define this tradition, built on the hard work of coaches and the perseverance of athletes. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Eugenia Pasca; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)