Robert Marchant

Description

Judo instructor active in France and England who visited Norway annually from 1954 to 1964, grading numerous Norwegians to black belt. Lundh described him as "hovedinstruktør i Frankrike" (head instructor in France); other sources identify him as English. He trained according to Kawaishi's system and was the central figure in early Norwegian judo grading, though he was reportedly in conflict with Kodokan and Abe.

Students (1)

• 
  Henrik Lundh

  sports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō Probable

  Probable

  Lundh described Marchant as 'hovedinstruktør i Frankrike'; Marchant visited Norway annually 1954-1964, became the central figure in early Norwegian grading history, and graded Lundh to 2nd dan (1959) and 3rd dan (1962) with himself as examiner.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Seminar (1954–1964)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Lundh described Marchant as 'hovedinstruktør i Frankrike'; Marchant visited Norway annually 1954-1964, became the central figure in early Norwegian grading history, and graded Lundh to 2nd dan (1959) and 3rd dan (1962) with himself as examiner.

  “Lundh omtaler ham som hovedinstruktør i Frankrike; andre kilder gjør ham til engelskmann. Begge deler kan stemme. Han besøkte Norge årlig fra 1954 til 1964 og ble den viktigste enkeltpersonen i den tidlige graderingshistorien vår.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

Sources