From 9th Dan to super Nan: Loretta Doyle on a half-century in judo

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

Doyle's is a life well and fully lived. A former world, Commonwealth and European judo champion, her passion for the sport remains undiminished as she dons more hats than Taylor Swift during a three-hour concert.
Doyle is rarely home as she navigates the globe in one of her many guises; coach, TV commentator, sporting director, federation representative or some other role. She also runs her own judo foundation, providing a gateway into the sport for the underprivileged, and next year will serve as the judo technical delegate at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
She also recently became the first British woman to be awarded her 9th Dan, deserved recognition for a lifetime dedicated to the sport. It's exhausting just talking to her but, mercifully, Loretta seems to be made of stronger stuff than the rest of us.
'The work's great – it's the best job you could have,' she confirms. 'The travelling is hard. That's the bit I don't like. And it's not like I'm in business class. I'm slumming it like everyone else!
'But I like the variety of the work I do. I've been involved in judo now for 52 years. And as you get older, your experiences change and you reinvent yourself. And you find yourself working with people you used to compete on the same platform with in judo. They're now directors in their own right within the sport and so we grow old gracefully together. Or disgracefully maybe!
'I have a real passion for events management. It's probably the hardest job because it's long hours and there's a lot of pressure. But I love pressure work. I love being able to think on your feet, problem solving and things like this.
'And there have been some real teary moments where you've thought, 'Am I ever going to get any sleep? Are my feet ever going to stop aching from all the walking?' But it's that final accomplishment that you get at the end and can say, 'we did it!'. That's always really satisfying.'
Motivation is never in short supply. 'It comes from a passion for judo because I love the sport. But it's the passion for meeting people as well. You meet all walks of life. When I look at my phone book and I think, 'goodness me, how many people do I actually know?'
'I'm terrible as you get older for names and things like that. But I'll never forget a face and that social aspect is really nice and rewarding as well.
'And it's also about upholding the values of our sport. It's what started me off in my journey right from a very young age.'
The Loretta Doyle Judo Foundation, established in 2019, is a key part of that progression, working with a number of different groups to give them a leg up into competitive sport.
'It does so much in enhancing people's lives and creating a bigger judo family,' she explains. 'Hence the reason of starting that up and working with those disadvantaged backgrounds, which could be anything from poverty to mental challenges, physical challenges, and just environmental challenges that they have, such as refugees.
'We've got about 10 projects running at this moment. And through support from the charity those involved don't pay anything. They get judo suits and free membership for Judo Scotland. That gets them integrated into the judo family, gives them some positivity in their lives. And hopefully then we can support them into a community-based club that will then continue their journey onto hopefully bigger and better things.'
The chance to serve at another home Commonwealth Games – after competing in Edinburgh in 1986 when it was a demonstration sport and then winning the country's first ever judo gold in 1990 – is another thing she's already excited about after her recent appointment as technical delegate.
'Well, as you can tell by the accent, I was brought up and schooled in London by Irish parents but I've lived in Scotland now for as long as I lived in England. And both my children are Scottish.
'So, I was proud to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. And then in 2014 we had the Glasgow Games and that was an amazing atmosphere. It just gave you those tingly moments because of how passionate people were about sport and how supportive they were for the athletes.
'So, when we heard that we were having the Commonwealth Games again here, well, I was absolutely delighted. And to have a role within that is a real honour.'
The recent 9th Dan award – in Paris, the city where she became world champion in 1982 – was testimony both to her longevity in the sport but also her role as a pioneer.
'To be recognised alongside the highest-graded women in the world is unbelievable because it says we're getting to that point that women are now becoming very strong within the sport and they're staying in it for longer. Hopefully, this will inspire more women to keep going and to get these awards because they're definitely worthy of it in a very male-dominant and physical sport.'
And does she ever switch off and relax? Apparently so, by pottering around the garden at her Seamill home, taking on DIY projects or spending time with grandsons, Cillian and Eben. But, even then, there's a sporting angle.
'Eben is coming up for four and has already started judo. He comes to classes that I teach and demonstrates the ukemi because his nana is a little bit stiff at the moment.
'So I get my grandson to demonstrate how to do his little roly polies and the kids are amazed. He's a good role model.'
It clearly runs in the family.