At the Anatoly Rakhlin Sports School, athletes are practising judo, fencing, rhythmic gymnastics, and rifle and pistol shooting. The President toured informational displays covering the history of the sports centre, visited training halls, and had a brief conversation with the students.
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Speech at a ceremony to award the Order of Honour to the St Petersburg Judo Federation
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends, colleagues,
I am delighted to have the opportunity to present the Order of Honour to the staff of the St Petersburg Regional Judo Federation.
This truly high state decoration has been well deserved. Your public organisation is among the most active participants in major efforts to develop sport, promote the values of physical fitness and healthy lifestyle. The achievements of St Petersburg judokas speak volumes about the Federation’s success. For 90 years now, they have been among the strongest in our country and around the world.
I checked the background information and frankly I was not aware of this myself: since 1929, judo has been practised in Leningrad and later in St Petersburg.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to congratulate all former judokas of Leningrad and St Petersburg, whom I see here now, as well as active athletes and coaches who are brilliantly carrying on the best traditions of the legendary Leningrad judo school. We are not deterred by anything, and we continue as usual. My congratulations go to its outstanding coaches, including Anatoly Rakhlin, the founder of the centre where we are now.
St Petersburg representatives form the backbone of Russia’s youth, junior, and senior national judo teams. Their performances often secure top positions in team rankings. This was the case at the Grand Slam tournament in Abu Dhabi in November 2025, and at a recently held European Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia. I am confident our judokas will confirm their status as leaders in the upcoming 2028 Olympic qualification events.
At the same time, many people from Leningrad and St Petersburg who have practised judo achieve success not only in sport, but in public life, the military, and business as well. I believe it is no coincidence.
It is especially gratifying to know that the number of people practising judo continues to grow. In St Petersburg alone, there are 19 sports schools and more than 3,500 children who have chosen, as we all know well, the gentle way of Jigoro Kano. In the master’s own words, they chose to be not better than someone else, but to be better than yesterday.
I would like to thank the St Petersburg Judo Federation for its extensive and constructive work. I wish every employee, athlete, manager, and coach all the very best. I wish you excellent health, success and, of course, great victories, which we all count on and always look forward to.