Keith Remfry

A Londoner who learnt his judo at the Budokwai in London, the oldest Japanese martial arts club in Europe, he first made his mark in top level competition by defeating All-Japan champion Kaneo Iwatsuri on his way to a bronze medal at the 1971 World Championships. He was unlucky on his Olympic debut in München to draw 1964 silver medallist Doug Rogers of Canada in the first round and exited the tournament after a contest of attrition.

Remfry bounced back from this disappointment by winning a silver medal at the 1973 European Championships and repeating his feat of taking a bronze medal at the World Championship. He competed very sparsely in international tournaments over the next two years but still gained Olympic selection for the Montréal Olympics as Britain’s participant in both the heavyweight and open classes. Remfry was one win away from the final in the heavyweight class but eventually missed out on the medal positions. Five days later he contested the open class with greater success and lost only to the speedy Haruki Uemura in the final.

Originally a policeman, the curly haired Remfry gave up his police career to concentrate on his sport and worked as a judo teacher. Sadly he suffered from ill health in his later years and the effects of kidney disease meant that he used a wheelchair for a number of years up to his death.