“I’ll leave everything on the mat”: LUTA Ambassador Manager competing at Judo Commonwealths this week

Today is the start of the Commonwealth Judo Championships in Cardiff, a competition in which LUTA Ambassador Manager Fergus Dullaghan (above, centre left) will compete for the first time. Fergus arrives fresh off the back of a three month intensive training block and is raring to hit the mat: “physically, I’m at my best possible condition. Training went really well, although the journey hasn’t been without its difficulties,” he told LUTA.

“Just achieving selection to compete here is probably the most important moment of my career. Not just for the prestige of the event but also because since I gave up full time competition it’s been a lot harder to maintain a high level of performance. In fact, sustaining motivation has been the hardest part in the build-up to these Commonwealths because I’m doing it mostly on my own now.”

Nonetheless, Fergus has been helped out in this regard by a strong support structure at Team Bath judo, where he trains under head coach Juergen Klinger, as well as attending two high quality judo camps in December and January. “I definitely couldn’t have turned up to those in bad shape otherwise I would have been smashed around! Funnily enough, an English guy I’ll be competing against this week attended one of the camps too – our sparring was a little cagey to say the least!”

Fergus wore LUTA training wear throughout his preparation and was impressed by how the garments performed, particularly the Performance Rash Guard. “It felt like a second skin under the Gi, and I had no problems with chafing or irritation at all,” he said.

The training wear certainly received a tough work-out as Fergus followed a strenuous training plan written by Klinger over the three months before competition. Basic training and fitness were quickly followed by muscle building and then a tough pyramid phase before max strength and power endurance led into a final tapering period. “After how well things have turned out in training, I know the only thing I need to do is be mentally strong. I’m going to leave everything on the mat and that’s all I can ask of myself.”

LUTA is proud to support Fergus and wishes him luck this week