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Why Ronda Rousey is Awesome

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The Kano Cup, one of the world's top Judo Competitions, took place in Japan this weekend. Ronda Rousey, competing against the world's best, including several local Japanese favorites, took home the Silver. On the one hand, this should come as no surprise as she just took home the World Championships Silver and the Pan-Am Gold in the past few months. But then there is always the back story.

As she points out on her blog - she partially tore her LCL in one of her first couple of matches. Yet she still managed to win all the way to the Gold medal match against Ueno from Japan. So here she is, playing the crowd favorite in Tokyo, with a partially torn LCL, in the Gold Medal match of the Kano Cup - and it goes to Golden Score. For those of you who don't get it - imagine the Colts are Playing the Patriots in the AFC championship in Foxboro and it goes to overtime - and the Pats win by a field goal.

Ronda lost by a Yuko - one of the smallest scores in Judo, and she was dissapointed. How many of us would have quit with even a small twinge in our knee, yet alone a partially-torn LCL. How many of us would have been flapped by the crowd, or intimidated to be playing in Tokyo.

By her own words, Ronda has shown that she is becoming the consummate professional, and a true warrior. Her own quest for satisfaction and unwavering commitment will take her to where no other American Judoka has ever been before: The Gold Medal Podium at the Olympics. If not in 08' then in 2012 - maybe even both.
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Anonymous said…
yonah, thank you for all the kind words, it was freak luck that I found your site and i'm very glad i did.

my cousin is sitting here right next to me and says good luck on getting your first dan.
12/15/2007
Yonah said…
Ronda - no problem. Keep up the good work, and I hope the knee is okay.
12/15/2007
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