The team from the Manik-based club competed at the International Judo Championship – Tiang Bendera Open 2026 on the weekend of June 12-14 in Jakarta, Indonesia and came away with seven medals against very tough opposition.
Out of a field of 540 athletes representing eight countries, the Dojo Phuket team finished as best international team and were awarded the Best Foreign Team trophy as a reward.
Young student Gleb led the way, winning seven of his eight contests to earn a silver medal in the Under-16 division, despite being only 13 years old, and a gold medal in the 25-athlete mixed division (ages 11–14).
Team captain David once again led by example to win gold in the cadet division, while teammate Sagit delivered a strong performance, winning bronze in the U-16 division at only 12 years old, and silver in the 25-athlete division, losing only to his teammate Gleb in the final.
Lea, the Dojo’s most successful athlete over the past two years, competed in the U-10 division despite being only 7 years old. Undaunted, she defeated every opponent until the final, where she faced a skilled judoka and the age and size difference proved too much. However, Lea’s tremendous courage against much older and bigger opponents was there for all to see.
Leo was in a similar situation. At only 7 years old, he won silver in the U-10 division, leading to Dojo Phuket coach Alexis Plantard to ring his praises. “It was an outstanding achievement and he is becoming stronger with every competition,” he told The Phuket News. “The best is yet to come from Leo for sure.”
Fellow students Kevin and Daniil fought valiantly but were unable to make the podium. “Both performed admirably and will come back stronger and wiser for their experiences,” said Alexis.
UPBEAT
More recently, on June 21, Alexis competed in the Japan International Judo Open alongside 600 athletes at one of the toughest tournaments in the world.
Held at the birthplace of judo, the Saitama Budokan, just outside Tokyo, Alexis fought impressively, defeating Fujimori Makoto by ippon in the quarter-final to set up a final-four showdown against Omachi Yuichiro.
After almost three minutes of a very close and scoreless match, Alexis decided to take the initiative and attack. However, Omachi proved a more than capable opponent, utilising his speed and excellent technique to claim the win before going on to win the final itself.
Despite disappointment against very tough competition Alexis remained upbeat: “This was my third appearance at the Japan Open. I finished 5th in 2024, 3rd last year and 3rd again this year. I will keep working hard in training so as to improve in future.”
PRICELESS
Meanwhile, student David Magomedov has been confirmed as an official member of the Russian Judo Cadet National Team.
David has been training with Alexis for the past six years, developing from a novice taking to the mats for the first ever time to competing at official international events organised by the International Judo Federation (IJF).
Furthermore, Alexis has been officially accredited as a coach for the Russian Cadet Team so as to continue his mentorship of his student.
“It is a significant achievement for both of us and we are competing for world ranking points through Continental Cup events in different countries,” Alexis explained.
At the end of May the duo competed in Uzbekistan, where there were more than 60 athletes in David’s division. He ultimately lost to one of the top Uzbek fighters but it provided an invaluable learning experience. Then in Kazakhstan in early June against a strong field of 35 competitors, David fell just short to another Uzbek athlete, who went on to finish on the podium.
“David is currently ranked 298th out of 459 athletes worldwide in the Cadet 50kg division,” explained Alexis. “Even though we have not reached the podium yet, we are earning valuable ranking points at every event. Each competition also gives us the opportunity to participate in high-level training camps with national teams and local athletes. The experience he gains from these trips is priceless.”
Later this month David will compete in the Asian Cup competitions in Hong Kong and Macau and Alexis sees a bright future for his student.
“David is fully committed to judo and high performance. He is dedicated, disciplined and hungry to succeed. The sky is the limit for him.”
For more information on how to get involved visit the Dojo Phuket Facebook page.