Jeannine Meulemans (VJF) and the "Ligue Francophone de Judo", acting under the Belgian Judo Federation umbrella. The exams were held in Etterbeek (ESC), Brussels, before a national jury consisting of Jean-Marie Falise, Marcel Clause, Marcel Degroote, and presided by Abe Ichirō, 8th dan from the Kōdōkan in Japan. At that occasion she was praised by Abe Ichirō, for obtaining the highest score among all candidates irrespective of gender. In 1983 Meulemans retired from competitive judo after winning her 10th successive national title, though at club level she continued to remain for years a technically inspiring judo training partner to Sonja Maes and
Judo in the United Kingdom Ben Quilter won bronze in the -60 kg category, and Sam Ingram won silver in the -90 kg category. Journalist Mark Law was named 'Best New Writer' in the 2008 British Sports Book Awards for his book "The Pyjama Game: A Journey into Judo", which was later published as "Falling Hard: A Journey into the World of Judo" in the United States. The book is a history of Judo in Japan, Britain, and other parts of the world, framed by Law's own experience of beginning Judo after his fiftieth birthday and working his way up to "sho dan" (first-degree black