The mayor of Manzanares, Julián Nieva, continued the tradition of inaugurating the new academic year for the Municipal Sports Schools with a visit to the Judo Club, where he congratulated them on reaching their 50th season. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the municipal judo and jiu-jitsu school.
On 14 October 2026, Nieva visited the 'José Cañizares' Judo Hall, located within the 'Sonia Molina-Prados Martín-Buro' athletics track, to uphold the tradition and commend the club and its president, Pedro Callejas, for their contributions over the past fifty years in promoting the values of sport within the community.
“Sport embodies all the values that a human being needs in life: health, camaraderie, effort…”
Callejas noted that this marks the beginning of the club's 50th season and expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from the local council, which established the municipal school three decades ago. The aim is to train children in judo and jiu-jitsu, helping them learn, compete, and gain valuable life skills.
In celebration of Manzanares being named the European Town of Sport this year, students from various sports schools will receive a backpack and a t-shirt at the start of the term, with no increase in participation fees maintained for the past twelve years.
Accompanied by the Councillor for Sports, Laura Carrillo, the mayor highlighted the wide range of sports activities available in Manzanares, catering to individuals of all ages, both through public and private offerings. The Municipal Judo School, led by the esteemed instructor Paqui Moreno, has commenced its 30th season with 44 participants. In addition to the children's judo and jiu-jitsu schools, there is also a self-defence class for adults.
