July 14 2016、AIRA sends interpreters for Cuban National Judo team visiting Abiko

AIRA dispatched Spanish speaking interpreters when Cuban National Judo team visited Abiko, where Judo is deeply related, while they were camping at Ryutsu Keizai University in Ibaraki prefecture immediately before the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

　　　Date: July 14 (Thu) 11:20a.m. – 2:30p.m.

　　　Venue: Site of late Jigoro Kano’s villa (Tenjinyama green zone), Bird museum, etc.

　　　Volunteer interpreters: Elena Murai (Spanish class instructor from Colombia) and Masato Mashiko

After the welcome speech by Mayor J. Hoshino, the Cuban team visited the site of the villa of Jigoro Kano, founder of the Kodo-kan. He is respected so much that they customarily bow to his photo placed in their Judo training room in Cuba. They were very delighted to visit the memorial site. A curator introduced his wise maxims such as “Enthusiastic efforts accomplish your aim without fail.” and “Listen carefully others’ words and reflect them on your conduct”, which were translated by the AIRA interpreters. Later they visited the Bird museum, where interpreters translated curators’ explanation.

The Cuban team consisted of coaches and 11 athletes including Idalys Ortiz Bocourt, London Olympic gold medalist in women’s Judo over-78kg class, Asley Gonzalez Montero, silver medalist in men’s 90 kg class. Cuba is one of the strongest nations in Judo. There were several overwhelmingly strong athletes who were aiming at medals in the Olympic Games. They enjoyed their brief break in Abiko city.           (No. 16-12 Translated by R. Hama)