Mihael Zgank started off 2024 with a bang, winning the Almada Grand Prix followed by another win at the prestigious Paris Grand Slam, one of the hardest tournaments in the world. Following a disappointing turn at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he decided to take some time off the IJF World Tour. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy. We catch up with him ahead of the first ever international seminar that he’s organizing called Mihael Zgank Academy, which will be held Dec 19-21 and features a slew of international champions.
Q: With the announcement of the Mihael Zgank Academy, many people are wondering, have you retired from international competition?
A: I’m undecided. I’m still taking part in the Bundesliga in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. So, I’m still fighting. Just not in the IJF circuit at the moment. But at the same time, I’m also coaching at Judo Klub Slovenj Gradec, where I mainly handle the juniors, and I also coach Nace Herkovic, who is a senior player. Whether I will return to competing in the IJF World Tour is something I’ve not decided on. Right now, I don’t feel it’s time to retire just yet. But I also don’t feel like it’s time to get back into competition either. Time will tell.
Q: Why did you call your seminar an “Academy”?
A: What it is, actually, is an educational platform. I’m starting off with this seminar but in the future, there will be other things I want to do. I might travel and do seminars in other countries. I might do something online. I might even offer education in other areas. But for now, it’s in the form of this upcoming seminar, where I’m bringing judo knowledge to Slovenia, and introducing people to my city so they can see how beautiful it is.
Q: You have several big names headlining your event. How did you go about securing their participation? Andreja Leski is obvious as she is from Slovenia. But what about Ryunosuke Haga, Saeid Mollaei and Ezio Gamba?
A: Haga happened to be in Europe. He’s been doing some seminars around Europe so I thought it would be a good idea to get him here. Mollaei will be here courtesy of the IJF. He’ll be here as an expert from the IJF to share his knowledge and experience. As for Gamba, he’s somebody I’ve known for some time and we’ve spoken a few times during my career. You can say we have a good relationship. I wasn’t sure whether this was something he would want to do but I decided to ask and he was keen. I can’t wait to see how his session for coaches turns out!
Q: How do you see your seminar being different from others being held around the world?
A: I’m really not trying to compete with anyone who is doing seminars. But, of course, I want to offer something different and unique. In terms of the instruction, I want a real in-depth look at the technical details, to break down the techniques into their component parts, so participants can learn step by step, instead of just a broad overview of the techniques. I’m also having a segment on coaching, which is being done by Gamba. I think education for coaches is something missing from seminars, which are usually just designed for players. Now that I’m doing some coaching, I realize how important coaching education is.
Q: How has the response been so far?
A: It's been very positive. I mainly set up this event for Slovenians but we’ve had a really good response from the international crowd. We’ve already got confirmed participation from clubs from Belgium, Britain, Montenegro, Macedonia, Malta, Austria, Germany, Croatia and Serbia. So, it’ll be quite an international crowd.
Q: How did you go about promoting this event?
A: Social media was an important factor. But so was word of mouth. I spoke to everyone I knew. I promoted it at camps I attended. I guess the list of champions who will be teaching there is quite attractive. So, word about it spread far and wide.
Q: What’s next for you? You say you’re undecided on whether to continue competing but it looks like you’re getting ready to transition into coaching. What’s your timeline for making a decision?
A: After the Olympics I wanted to take a rest. But I haven’t actually been able to do that. I’ve been coaching a lot and also competing in the Bundesliga. Maybe next year, I will take a break and lead a normal life for a while. If I return to the tatami for competition, it might be towards the end of next year. I can’t see it being much earlier than that.
Q: Slovenia is a small country yet it has produced many top champions. How did Slovenia produce so many top judokas?
A: Come to Slovenia spend some time with us, train with us, and you will see why there are so many good judo athletes in Slovenia. We have a beautiful landscape, with lots of nature. So, there’s a very healthy atmosphere and mentality all around. I invite you to come to my Academy and we will find out together.
