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Health & Fitness

Next Stop: Olympics, Tokyo 2020

Local school children - and competitors from Japan - win at Double-Dutch

Japanese Jumpers – local and from Japan – take 1st and 2nd place at Double-Dutch tourney in Harlem on Sunday.

BUT the big news is we can assure these champions go on to the Olympics in 2020!

“We all watched the Olympics this summer,” said MC Richard Cox, from the stage of New York’s legendary theater, which launched hundreds of world-renowned careers, and has hosted Michael Jackson, Duke Ellington, “Sachmo” Louis Armstrong, among others, whose photos decorate the lobby.

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“And, though it’s a little late for the 2016 games, we CAN get Double Dutch included for 2020.”

A petition is  being circulated to the International Olympic Committee at www.change.org

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Cox encouraged the packed house of Double-Dutch fans to log on to the site.

“We need 5,000 names, and then………” he paused:

“Tokyo is one of three cities contending for hosting the 2020 games.”

Double-Dutch moved from the schoolyard and the neighborhood to the athletic arena in 1974, with the first Double Dutch Tournament. David A. Walker, then a  NYC Police Detective,  and his partner Detective Ulysses Williams, developed it into a competitive sport, with preliminary rules, compulsory moves, strict timing, as well as fusion techniques incorporating gymnastics and break-dance moves.

As a sport it gained popularity throughout the US – teams at Sunday’s competition came from North Carolina, Connecticut, and several Japanese cities, as well as Newark, NJ, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. 

Local competitors, from areas badly affected by Hurricane Sandy and accompanying noreaster, were given special recognition, for continuing to practice although their local schools were closed, but they were still practicing and competing.

Under the coaching of Japanese Chirdren's Society Double Dutch Club, the Kids 2min Speed winner was Ikuei Samurai Jumpers: Tamami Yoshiike,Yudai Ozawa,Yuya Fukuda,and Itsuki Tsuchida.

The Novice Fusion freestyle winner was Ikuei Sakura Jumpers - members: Kyoko Kodama,Ruka MasanoYuki Orita,Momoko Uchida, Masafumi Ito

And champion of show was Koma Lions, from Tokyo, Japan.

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