Judo is not the most popular sport in the Philippines. People just don't have the same attraction to it as sports like basketball or boxing or football. We all know about the Azkals and their attempts to become a world class team, or SMART GILAS and their frequent matches against foreign teams. What we do not know is that John Baylon has proven himself world class and proven himself the best in Southeast Asia thus bringing up the Philippine flag.​ 

   

    Sir John started training judo at the age of 20, and had devoted more than half of his life to training judo. He is a 6th degree red and black belt in judo(This rank is rarely achieved even in Japan, the home of judo) and a 2nd degree black belt in jiu-jitsu(the first Filipino to achieve a black belt in both sports) and is a member of the Philippine judo team. He is the Philippine champion,  has won the Southeast Asian games 9 times, with numerous medals in other various international competitions such as the Asian games and the world judo championships. He has also represented the Philippines in the Olympic Games. His level of judo is truly at the world class level,  in fact there are people from all over Asia who come to the Philippines just to train with John Baylon. Imagine that, people from places like Malaysia,or China or even Japan come to the Philippines to train with him. That makes me proud to be a Filipino.

   

   Apart from representing the Philippines, he also shares his knowledge with Filipinos. When he is not training Judo, he teaches the Philippine armed forces hand to hand combat. He is also a big contributor to Martial Marts growing in the Philippines, and has inspired many such as my self to start training with the hopes of one day representing the Philippines just as he has.

 

   If you think about it John Baylon is not unlike Jose Rizal. The two of them both did their best to bring pride to their countries and they both shared what knowledge they had with their fellow Filipinos. In modern times, he is just like any of the other icons we have. He has represented the Philippines at the most elite level of judo, and has helped make the Philippines the center of grappling in Southeast Asia. He may not be the most famous of people, but he has certainly achieved just as much as anyone else. You may not know it, but John Baylon is one of the bearers of our flag, and is in all respects a national treasure.