A severe ankle sprain and days in bed — the closest the project came to ending. A Lithuanian host family and free care from the judo community kept it alive.

Kotaro Sasaki opened the door to a 1,500-member club in Warsaw, plus a seminar back in Lithuania.

A crowded train full of Ukrainian refugees, and coach Jan Gregor housing 25 of them while driving back and forth to the border. Training with the national team in Bratislava.

Budapest, then judo in Paks with Barna Bor and Csoknyai.

Novi Sad — roughly a thousand judoka met in a single week, and a birthday on the mat.

Hosted by a police officer and judo veteran despite a heavy history, and a meeting with Kosovo judo star Anton Cena.

The beauty of the Balkans — its people and its mountains.

Sofia and Plovdiv with family, and a new partner, Fightscout, signed just as other funding stopped.

Istanbul between two continents, then Kilis near the Syrian border, filming the Judo for Peace programme for refugee children.

Two days with Olympic champion Lasha Bekauri and the national team, Gori the city of judo, and traditional Chidaoba wrestling.

A VIP welcome thanks to the Prime Minister — and wildfires forcing an evacuation.

A cargo ship across the Caspian, 50 hours by train, Astana, Almaty and Kokpar — the wildest tradition on the road.

A training camp for the World Championships on Lake Issyk-Kul — and the hardest chapter of the whole project, told months later.

Behind the scenes of the Tashkent 2022 World Championships, then Samarkand on the Silk Road.

Coach David Gabaidze building women’s judo in Dushanbe, and wrestling dynasties turning to Olympic judo.

PAM Judo, a dojo for prisoners’ children, a school born after the 2015 earthquake, and deaf kids dancing at the end of class.