Jeremy Saywell

When did you start Judo?

I started when I was 5 years old, with Sensei Alex Bezzina, till the age of 9. I then had a four year hiatus as I pursued another sport. However, I returned to judo when I was 13 years old and have been training ever since.

Why did you start Judo?

As a young boy I was always very energetic. My father, also a judoka, saw this as an opportunity to direct my energy into something constructive.

What do you value the most?

Respect. Winning or losing all Judokas must respect one another.

Are you a glass half empty or glass half full kind of person?

I like to think that I have a positive outlook on life. I try to see a solution to a problem, rather than dwell on the obstacle. So i would say I'm a glass half full kind of person.

If you could do anything in the world what would it be?

I love cooking and eating. Therefore, I think if I could do anything in life, I would want to run my own restaurant.

Where do you want to be in 5-10 years from now?

Given that I am an avid foodie, i would love to be able to sample all kinds of cuisines. I would love to be in a position to travel the world and see what the international community has to offer. I would also love to be in a position to travel for leisure and actually see the places as a tourist. Though I do currently travel around the world, there is often not much time for sightseeing and there is definitely no opportunity to eat as much as I would like.

Describe yourself in 6 words

Competitive, Positive, Caring, Stubborn, Funny, Hard-working

Who is your favourite Judoka?

Ilias Iliadis. I like the way he makes people fly.

Ilias Iliadis
Interview conducted May 2020

More about Jeremy...

International Championships and Games Results

Games of the Small States of Europe
Silver: 2011, 2013, 2019
Bronze: 2015

European Cup Juniors
Silver: 2012

Commonwealth Championships
Bronze: 2012

Commonwealth Junior Championships
Bronze: 2012

Youth Olympic Games (flag bearer)
2010 (Singapore): Represented Malta in the -66kgs / Silver medal with Team Belgrade (Marius Piepke (Germany), Jennet Geldybayeva (Turkmenistan), Dulguun Otgonbayar (Mongolia), Anna Dmitrieva (Russia), Lola Mansour (Belgium), Babacar Cisse (Senegal) and Haley Baxter (New Zealand))

Did you know?

Jeremy is son of MJF referee Dominic Saywell and active MJF volunteer Licia Saywell. He is married to one of the most successful Judoka in Maltese Judo history, Marcon Bezzina, and they are the proud parents of Craig, who is always present on the tatami.