Jack Hearn
John Hearn BEM (born 19 September 1923),[1] also known as Judo Jack, is an English judo instructor. At age 100, he was confirmed by Guinness World Records as the oldest active judo instructor.
Military service
[edit]Born and raised in North Shields,[2] Hearn enlisted in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers[3] when he was 18, in 1942.[4] He fought in Algiers, where due to an eye condition that would affect his use of a rifle, he operated a Bren light machine gun at the back of a convoy.[2] He was a driver with the Royal Army Service Corps at the Battle of Monte Cassino.[4] In May 2024, he was one of few surviving veterans to attend the 80th anniversary of the end of the battle.[5]
Judo
[edit]Hearn took up judo in North Shields in 1951, having given up his previous activity of swimming because of appendix surgery. He and his brother Bob set up a judo club in 1954.[6]
Aged 94 in 2018, Hearn said on BBC Three's Amazing Humans that he would only give up judo when the last nail was hammered into his coffin.[7] In 2020, Hearn applied to Guinness World Records as the oldest judo instructor. His claim was verified and his certificate arrived in 2023.[6] In the same year, he was awarded his 10th dan ranking for the 10th anniversary of his 9th dan.[6] Aged 100, he continued as a technical advisor, judge and examiner, travelling as far as Essex.[6] He said that due to "minor problems with my legs", he left physical demonstration to younger instructors.[6]
Personal life
[edit]As of December 2023, Hearn lived in Cramlington and had five children, 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.[6]
For Hearn's 100th birthday, Northumberland County Council held an event in his honour at County Hall in Morpeth.[3]
Hearn was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2026 New Year Honours. He was the oldest person to receive an award in the listing.[8]
References
[edit]- ↑ "101-year-old WW2 veteran from Cramlington oldest Judo instructor in the world". ITV News. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
Yesterday (19 September) he took a break from teaching 'arm chair Judo' for celebratory bubbly.
- 1 2 "Jack Hearn: 'I was more scared of my mum and dad than the Nazis'". BBC News. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- 1 2 Buchan, Craig (25 September 1923). "UK's oldest judo teacher and WW2 veteran from Cramlington turns 100". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- 1 2 Lonsdale, Jo (17 May 2024). "100-year-old veteran returns to WW2 battlefield". BBC News. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ↑ Lonsdale, Jo (22 May 2024). "Veteran, 100, honours fallen comrades in Italy". BBC News. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Goodwin, Nicole (23 December 1923). "Northumberland's 'Judo Jack' becomes Guinness World Record holder for being UK's oldest instructor at 100". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ↑ "The judo teacher with 67 years under his belt". BBC Three. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ↑ Parker, Fiona (29 December 2025). "'Judo John' is oldest honours recipient at 102". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 December 2025.