(Late) Lourembam Brojeshori (Olympian - Judoka) : A Profile

Daniel Chabungbam *

Lourembam Brojeshori (Olympian - Judoka)

OLYMPIAN (LATE) LOUREMBAM BROJESHORI DEVI

Name: Lourembam Brojeshori Devi

Father's Name: Lourembam Manglem Singh

Mother's Name: Lorembam ongbi Taruni Devi

Address: Khagempalli Huidrom Leikai, Imphal West

Date of Birth: 1st January 1981

Weight category: Below 52 kg.

Lourembam Brojeshori (Olympian - Judoka)

Sydney Olympian Judoka from Manipur, Lourembam Brojeshori Devi started her career in playing during the Yaoshang Sports Meet of her locality. She always used to long for the time when the yaosang Sports will come. She used to play in various sports discipline while she was studying class VII but from the time she was reading Class IX, she sticked to the Judo discipline. The person who instigate Brojeshori to get involved in sports was Amusana, a physical education teacher at the Elangbam Leikai High School and also the leaders of her local club. Thus from small fields of her locality, she could reach the Olympic arena.

She learnt judo under the guidances of Thounaojam Bishworjit, Tondon and SAI Coach Sabitri. She also learnt other techniques of Judo from M Deven Singh. During those young age, her family members would never encourage her to join sports but always urge her to be obedient in her studies. She at her own wishes started participating in Judo. During those days, She would wore her phanek by covering her sports dress so that her parents would not recognize her that she is out for playing.

After participating in her locality clubs, Brojeshori then went to Khuman Lampak to play and met her Judo coach Deven in the year 1996. She joined a one year course in training to play judo by staying at Sports Authority of India Special Area Games centre in Imphal. But the complaints from her parents would never stop coming to her ear.

As she wished to join a state level coaching camp, Brojeshori let her parents meet her Judo coach Deven on one occasion to convince her parents. Then her parents decided to give her a single chance and allowed her to play for a year. Her parents insisted that she must quit if she cannot succeed in Judo. But the decision of her parents was a challenge to her and she worked hard to succeed. Luckily after one month she was selected to participate in the training conducted by SAI. And in the same year, She got her first chance to participate in the Junior National Championship and secured third position. She also won Third position in All India SAI competition in 1997. Later, she was selected for participation in the National Coaching camp at Bangalore along with two other judokas from Manipur.

Meanwhile, to her surprise, she was selected to participate in the Asian Judo championship at Philippines in the Indian contingent. Even though she could not bring any medal she was excited to play in a foreign country and played against Chinese and Japanese player. Lourembam Brojeshori Devi participated in Sydney Olympics Games in 2000, Asian and Commonwealth Games in 2012 and South Asian Games in 2006.

Some of the achievements of Lourembam Brojeshori in National level tournaments

• Senior National Judo Championship at Mumbai in 2002 – Gold medal
• 32nd National Games Vishakhapatnam in 2002 – Gold medal
• Senior National Championship at Pologround, Patiala in 2003 – Gold medal
• Senior National Championship at Cuttack, Orissa in 2004 – Silver medal
• Senior National Judo Championship at Chandigarh in 2005 – Gold medal
• Senior Nation Judo Championship at Mumbai in 2006 – Silver medal
• National Judo Championship at Vijayawada in 2007 – Bronze medal
• 33rd National Games at Guwahati, Assam in 2007 – Gold medal
• National Judo Championship at Kochi in 2008 – Bronze medal and Best Judoka
• National Judo Championship at Lucknow (UP) in 2009 – Bronze medal
• Senior National Judo Championship at Haridwar in 2009 – Silver medal
• National Games at Ranchi, Jharkhand in 2011 – Silver medal
• Senior National Judo Championship at Kolkata in 2012 – participation

• Asian Judo Championship at Japan in 2000 – third place
• 8th Vietnam International Judo Tournament at Vietnam in 2000 – Silver medal
• Junior Asian Judo Championship at Hongkong in 2000 – 5th place
• Sydney Olympics Games at Australia in 2000 – 9th place
• Korea Open Judo Tournament in 2001 – participation
• Mauritius International Judo Tournament in 2002 – Bronze medal
• Commonwealth Games at London in 2002 – 5th place
• Busan Asian Games, South Korea in 2002 – participation
• 10th Vietnam International Judo Tournament in 2003 – Bronze medal
• World Judo Championship at Japan in 2003 - participation
• South Asian Judo Championship at Bhopal, India in 2005 – Gold medal
• Asian Judo Championship at Uzbekistan in 2005 – participation
• SAF Games at Sri Lanka in 2006 – Gold medal
• Gaiman 'A' Judo Tournament in 2006 – 7th place
• Asian Judo Championship at Kuwait in 2007 – participation
• International Judo Tournament at Turkey in 2007 – Bronze medal
• 11th SAF Games at Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2010 – Gold medal

• All India Police Games at Jammu in 2010 and secured Gold medal
• All India Police Games at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi in 2011 and secured Silver
• All India Police Games at New Delhi in 2012 and secured Gold medal