His dream was to follow in the footsteps of Billy Elliot and become a ballet star.
Fortunately for British sport Jack Hodgson choose Judo.
That’s right, the 100kg plus Junior VI judoka claims he originally wanted to be a ballet dancer!
His ballet dream is at least half tongue in cheek but there is no doubting the 19-year-old is making serious headlines amongst the British Judo fraternity.
Jack has already been crowned Commonwealth Games Gold medallist, IBSA 2015 Junior World Champions and Senior World Silver and Bronze Medalist.
Ushers Syndrome
Now he is eyeing potential Paralympic glory in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 after a stunning start to his Judo career – and all despite suffering with Ushers Syndrome, a relatively rare genetic disorder that is a leading case in deaf-blindness
Ballet He said: “My Dad was in the army so we moved around a lot when I was a child and we lived in Northern Ireland at the time so it was either that (judo) or ballet.
“I tried ballet first but nah, Judo. I was about 8 I think so quite young. “At first it was just something to do as we lived in an RAF camp and there wasn’t really much there but as we went on it got a bit more fun and here I am.
“I started to take it seriously when I first got into the England squad, the mainstream one, we started winning a few competitions but then found out I was visually impaired so came across to this squad and it just went up and up really.
“I have Usher syndrome, the, which is the eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa which is tunnel vision, 5 degree vision, sunlight and dim light, darkness nothing and profound deaf makes Usher syndrome.
“It tends to onset into your teens. We didn’t really find out until I was about 12 and then when I was 15 / 16 I came into this squad, the Paralympic teams.
“Judo is brilliant for it really because you can fight alongside, live alongside, train alongside all the mainstream squads. The only difference is you start off gripped so I just ask if I can start off gripped and they say fine.”
Mainstream
Hodgson is very matter of fact. He spoke with PharmaNutricals, the official nutrition partner of British Judo and claimed there is no reason why a VI athlete couldn’t win mainstream competitions.
His condition is likely to deteriorate. That is the frustration with Usher syndrome and there is no timescale to work too.
So, Hodgson insists he will simply get on with it while he can.
And the Visually Impaired athletes insists there is no reason why he can’t also compete in mainstream competitions.
He added: “My condition has deteriorated so far. The past few years have been quite stable, same for the hearing as well so fingers crossed.
“We still fight and train with mainstream athletes, still train here with mainstream squads and do mainstream competitions.
“I have competed in mainstream competitions if I want too, I have done them until the past year really. This is probably my first year in the VI circuit and it has been a great year but until then I’ve just competed in mainstream competitions. There isn’t a massive difference.
“The mainstream stuff obviously the standards is a little bit higher as there more of them but apart from that and starting gripped we fight, train the same, alongside everyone else so there is literally no difference so there isis no reason why a VI person can’t win anything.”
Rio 2016
The Lincolnshire based judoka has achieved the qualifying criteria for Rio 2016 after a stunning season but must now wait to discover if he has been selected for the Team GB squad.
He was originally targeting Tokyo in 2020 but his form has seen his dreams fast tracked and now eye a possible podium placing in Rio if selected.
He added: “It has been a great year. I am on track to qualify and hopefully it will all come down to plan. “It is fantastic, I am 19 years old so to even get the opportunity to go to Rio is amazing. I would never have thought of it two or three years ago but here we are.
“This year, probably not but I am looking to place. Get a good position, maybe seventh to fifth is a good target but anything is possible on a good day really.
“In a sport like Judo anyone can win any day. It is just a catch and you’ve won. I know I got to the Final of the World Games in Korea, I know if I have my best day I can do anything.
“I got a Silver medal in Korea and I also got a Silver Medal in the Brazilian Grand Prix. They were both fantastic experiences which I absolutely loved. To get to Brazil and Korea as an 18 / 19 year old and to get a Silver medal at the World Hames – I can’t fault that.”
