Elvis Gordon

Elvis Gordon (23 June 1958 – 11 May 2011) was a Jamaican-born English heavyweight judoka who won numerous medals representing Great Britain.^[2] He competed for Great Britain at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic games.^[3] Gordon won silver in the 1987 World Judo Championships, was European champion in 1988, and Commonwealth champion in 1986 and 1990.^[4] He retired from competitive judo in 1993, and subsequently competed at the 1994 Sumo World Championships as a wrestler in the heavyweight category.^[5] In 2009, he made a brief return to judo, winning silver at the 2009 British Masters Championship in the men's 50–54 years over-100 kg category.^[6]

Elvis Gordon

Personal information
Birth name	Elvis Anthony Gordon
Nickname	The Cat[1]
National team	England
Born	(1958-06-23)23 June 1958 Hanover, Jamaica
Died	6 May 2011(2011-05-06) (aged 52) Wolverhampton, England, UK
Occupation	Judoka
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	132 kg (291 lb; 20.8 st)
Sport
Country	Great Britain
Sport	Judo
Weight class	Heavyweight (over 95kg)
Rank	6th dan black belt
Club	Wolverhampton Judo Club (1971–1992) Neil Adams Club (1992–1993)
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	2nd (1987)
Medal record Men's Judo Representing  England Commonwealth Games 1986 Edinburgh +95 1990 Auckland Open 1990 Auckland +95 Representing  United Kingdom World Championships 1987 Essen Open European Championships 1988 Pamplona Open 1985 Hamar Open 1992 Paris Open World Cups/Continental Open 1989 World Masters Rüsselsheim +95 1989 Tournoi de Paris +95 1992 World Masters Munich +95 European Team Championships 1987 Paris Team 1990 Dubrovnik Team 1992 Leonding Team International Tournaments 1981 Welsh Senior Open Cardiff +95 1985 British Masters Birmingham +95 1985 British Open London +95 1986 German Open Rüsselsheim +95 1987 Scottish Open Edinburgh +95 1988 Matsutaro Shoriki Cup Tokyo +95 1989 British Open London +95 1991 Scottish Open Edinburgh +95 1991 British Open London +95 1992 British Open London +95 1982 Dutch Open Kerkrade +95 1983 Dutch Open Kerkrade +95 1984 British Open London +95 1984 Belgian Open Gent +95 1983 Belgian Open Gent +95 1986 Tournoi de Paris +95 1987 Tournoi de Paris +95 1989 Sungkop Tournament Seoul +95 1990 Wolverhampton Judo Masters Open 1990 British Open London +95 1992 Belgian Open Championships Visé +95 1993 British Open Birmingham +95 1995 US Open Macon Georgia +95
Profile at external databases
JudoInside.com	2295

Early life

Gordon was born on 23 June 1958 in Hanover, Jamaica.^[1] He emigrated to Britain with his family in 1967, settling in Wolverhampton, West Midlands.^[7] Gordon began studying judo in 1972 at Northicote School, Wolverhampton, and joined the Wolverhampton Judo Club, coached by Malcolm "Mac" Abbotts. Abbotts said of him: "I couldn't believe the strength in him, even at that age." As a teenager, Gordon drifted from judo into powerlifting, and came 2nd in the under-19 national powerlifting championships at age 15.^[1][8]

Major achievements

• 3 x times Olympian (1984, 1988, 1992)
• World Championship silver medal (1987)
• 3 x times Commonwealth gold medallist (1986 x2, 1990)
• European Championship gold (1988) and 2 bronze 1985 & 1992)
• 8 x times champion of Great Britain at the British Judo Championships 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985 (+open), 1987, 1989, 1991.^[9]
• In 1986, he won the bronze medal in the 95 kg weight category at the judo demonstration sport event as part of the 1986 Commonwealth Games.^[10]

Later life

After retiring from competitive sport, Gordon was employed as the caretaker at Moseley Park School in Bilston, West Midlands, where he also provided judo coaching.^[1][11] In 2010, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and died in May 2011.^[1][12] Following Gordon's death, students at his place of work chose to name the school's new gymnasium after him. Nick Elwiss, the head teacher, said: "He was held in extremely high regard by staff and pupils and is fondly remembered by us all."^[13]

See also

• Judo in the United Kingdom