A New Step for Judo in Príncipe as Ponta do Sol Opens Its Doors

Judo in São Tomé and Príncipe reached another important moment on 14 June, when the Judo Global Association opened a new school in the Ponta do Sol community. The project adds fresh energy to the sport’s growth on Príncipe Island and underlines how judo is being used there as more than competition alone.

The inauguration brought together political leaders, local media and the judo community. Among those present were the President of the Regional Government of Príncipe, Filipe Nascimento, and the President of the Judo Global Association of São Tomé and Príncipe, André Rosa. Around 100 judoka also took part in a demonstration, giving the opening a strong sporting feel rather than making it just a formal ceremony.

This new school gives Ponta do Sol greater access to judo and expands the association’s presence in the country. With the opening, the Judo Global Association now operates three schools on Príncipe Island and six across São Tomé and Príncipe nationwide. That growth matters because it shows a clear structure being built around the sport, one community at a time.

For young people in Ponta do Sol, the school is intended to be a place for more than training sessions. The stated aim is to promote values closely linked to judo, including respect, discipline and friendship, while also supporting social inclusion. It is also meant to offer children and young people a positive and healthy activity in daily life.

According to André Rosa, the new opening is another step in the association’s wider mission. He said the organisation sees judo as a tool for education, inclusion and human development, and wants more children and young people to benefit from practice regardless of where they live.

The new school lifts the national total to six.

Recent figures included in the announcement point to strong momentum. In 2025 alone, the association’s activities involved around 650 participants, a sign of judo’s growing reach in both sport and social development in São Tomé and Príncipe. Even without focusing on medals or major events, that number tells its own story about how deeply the discipline is starting to connect with local communities.

Institutional support has also helped drive that expansion. The association’s main partners include the International Judo Federation, the Faya Foundation, the regional government of Príncipe and the São Tomé and Príncipe Olympic Committee. Their backing has contributed to strengthening and extending judo across the country.

What stands out most in Ponta do Sol is the feeling of steady progress. A new dojo opening may seem like a local story, but in judo terms it can shape the future by giving more young people a place to learn, belong and grow.

For Ponta do Sol, this is a small opening with big meaning.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation