LONDON – Kyle Maxwell didn’t spend all of that time preparing and months of sacrifice to roll over without a fight.
Not even to the No. 2-ranked player in the world in judo.
When Maxwell takes to the mat around 10:12 a.m. (5:12 a.m. Barbados time) tomorrow at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the 114th ranked player in the world will be giving it his all against Japan’s Riki Nakaya after drawing a bye in the first round.
“As far as I am concerned, I have nothing to lose,” Maxwell told SUNSPORT. “He has something to lose.
“There will be a fight because neither one of us wants to lose.”
Maxwell, 21, has spent the last month or so training at Bath University with several other Olympic qualifiers and was pleased with the results.
Training an average of six hours a day, his technique has improved, he is stronger mentally and physically and his endurance has also increased.
“We got to go to places like Wolverhampton and Dartford where there was squad training, people coming to train before the Games as there were also clubs. I saw a vast number of fighting styles, British-type styles, because the Asians have a different style, as well as the Georgians and Russians, so it varies.”
His Barbadian coach Ian Weithers also saw the difference when he held training sessions with Maxwell here in London.
Weithers said in addition to more weight training, which had made Maxwell stronger, there had also been more running and, different types, of running. With additional time on the mat, it was effectively more than triple what the youngster did in Barbados.
“He is definitely a lot stronger, better physically conditioned. He can do the weights and runs at home, but the high quality partners, he can’t get at home. It was important being away because judo is not something you do by yourself.”
The coach admitted it was a tough draw, but they have had access to footage and have seen Nakaya fight.
“He is shorter. Kyle is over six feet and the times Kyle has seen him lose, it was to taller players. There are certain things he doesn’t like done to him, so that is the kind of strategy that we will use also,” Weithers said.
Maxwell’s parents Lionel and Roseanne, as well as sister Khadija – all judokas – will be here to see him make his Olympic debut.
