The 2020 Summer Olympics are right around the corner. We’ve interviewed a few Olympians before, but never in judo. Now, we are breaking that trend. Colton Brown is a Olympic veteran from the Rio Olympics four years ago. He’s getting geared up to compete in Tokyo representing the United States of America.
Getting to know Colton Brown
Colton Brown started his judo career at a very young age. It was a family sport and he joined trend. He essentially grew up in the gym.
“My father introduced me to judo when I was 7 years ago. He’s a black belt in judo as well and I used to love going to practice as a young child to watch him train.”
Outside of judo, Brown is still your normal person. He’s a foodie and a bit of an outdoorsman.
“When I’m not doing judo I love to eat really good food with my friends. I’m referred to a lot as a foodie haha. I also like to be outdoors, whether it’s going to the beach for the day or going hiking, I love anything that involves nature.”
Advice to judo players
For those looking to begin judo, Brown offers some of the best advice anyone can give: patience. You will not be good in the beginning. Judo isn’t just something you pick up quickly. It’s a slowly learned craft.
“One thing I would tell someone who wants to take up judo is that patience is a virtue. Patience is probably the most important trait you need in this sport. When I first began my journey, I spent most days extremely frustrated because certain throws weren’t working or I just wasn’t winning in general. Over time and lots of training, I realized that this sport is super technical and it really takes a lot of time and effort to understand.”
Eyes on Olympic glory
When Colton Brown was nominated to the United States judo team in 2016, it was a dream come true, as with many athletes. It’s a huge goal for all players in the sport and to be recognized as the best in your country is an honor.
“The moment I realized I was going to the Olympics in 2016 was like a dream come true for me. It was something I had been envisioning since I was 12 years old and watched the 2004 Olympics on TV. It felt as though a lifetime of work was finally paying off.”
While Brown has qualified for Team USA, he’s still got work to do. He’s medaled in the Pan-American games, two silvers and a bronze at 90 kilos, but he has not yet medaled on the biggest stage yet. After the Rio Olympics in 2016, his eyes were immediately set on the next Olympics.
“I’m currently qualified for the Olympics now, but the qualification doesn’t technically end until May. But to answer your question, My goal after I got home from the Olympics in Rio was to medal at the Olympics in Tokyo, therefore making the team was something I expected the entire time.”
But simply winning a bronze medal won’t do the trick for Colton Brown. He expects the best out of himself this year in Tokyo. He believes he is doing everything necessary to achieve such a goal.
“My goal is to win gold. I’m waking up everyday and doing everything in my power to train as hard as I possibly can across all areas. My goal is to leave no stone unturned. I’m making sure that I have no weaknesses going into Tokyo. I’m taking things like my recovery and nutrition a lot more serious this time. I have learned that the small things really add up and make a huge difference.”
The Future
After judo, Colton Brown has even bigger plans. He’s been expanding his martial arts repertoire.
“I recently started practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 1-2 times a week. My goal is to be a complete martial artist and eventually obtain my black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well.”
Be sure to follow Colton Brown on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to follow him through his Olympic journey.
