Craig Fallon

{{Infobox judoka

| name = Craig Fallon

| image = Craig Fallon.jpg

| caption = Fallon in 2008

| birth_name = Craig Patrick Fallon

| nickname =

| nationality = British

| residence =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1982|12|18}}

| birth_place = Ipswich, Suffolk, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2019|7|15|1982|12|18}}

| death_place = Wellington, Shropshire, England

| country =

| sport =

| weight_class = –60 kg

| rank =

| rank_ref =

| dan =

| collegeteam =

| club =

| team =

| turnedpro =

| coach =

| retired =

| coaching =

| worlds_rank = 1

| worlds_year = 2005

| worlds_weight =

| regionals_type = EU

| regionals_rank = 1

| regionals_year = 2006

| regionals_weight =

| nationals =

| olympics_rank = 7

| olympics_year = 2008

| olympics_weight = Men's 60 kg

| highestranking =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country| {{GBR2}} }}

{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}

| updated = 12 February 2022

}}

Craig Patrick Fallon (18 December 1982 – 15 July 2019){{Cite web|url=https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/obituary-craig-fallon/|title=Obituary: Craig Fallon|website=Britishjudo.org.uk|date=16 July 2019}} was a British World Champion judoka.{{cite web|url=https://www.judoinside.com/judoka/11412/Craig_Fallon/judo-photos|title=Craig Fallon profile |website=Judo Inside |access-date=16 August 2022}}

Career

His first main coach was Bill Kelly. Fallon later competed with his coach Fitzroy Davis. In 2002, he won the gold medal in the under 60kg category at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.{{cite news|url=http://sport.guardian.co.uk/athens2004/story/0,14529,1265029,00.html|title=Fallon gets biggest kicks from chasing glory |website=The Guardian |date=20 July 2004 |access-date=16 August 2022|last1=Phillips |first1=Michael }}

In September 2005, Fallon won the -60 kg weight class at the World Judo Championships in Cairo, beating Ludwig Paischer in the final. He became only the third British male to win a world title, following Neil Adams in 1981 and Graeme Randall in 1999.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/4235694.stm|title=Fallon is crowned world champion |website=BBC Sport |date=11 September 2005 |access-date=16 August 2022}} The following year in 2006, he went on to become European champion in Tampere, Finland in the -60 kg weight category beating Armen Nazaryan in the final. He is only the second male British judoka besides Neil Adams to simultaneously hold both a World and European title.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

On 22 September 2007, Fallon went on to win The 2007 Men's World Cup in the -60 kg at the NIA Arena in Birmingham, he was the only Brit to win a medal at the Olympic ranking event.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} In 2011 Fallon won his third title at the British Judo Championships, having previously won in 2002 and 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/my-judo/competition-organisation/results/|title=British Judo Championship Results 2003 to present |website=British Judo |access-date=16 August 2022}}

In 2012, the former Wolverhampton Judo Club ace was inducted into the Wolverhampton Sporting Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/council/news/2012/september/100912a.htm|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121006031153/http%3A//www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/council/news/2012/september/100912a.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 October 2012|title=More sporting heroes prepare to enter city's Hall of Fame|publisher=Wolverhampton City Council|accessdate=17 March 2013}}

In 2017, Fallon signed a contract as head coach of the Federal Judo Association of Vorarlberg, Austria.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vol.at/weltmeister-fallon-hilft-judo-auf-die-spruenge/5276915|title=Weltmeister Fallon hilft Judo auf die Sprünge|website=Vol.at|date=11 May 2017 }}{{cite web|url=http://judo-vorarlberg.at/judo-weltmeister-craig-fallon-neuer-landestrainer/|title=Judo-Weltmeister Craig Fallon neuer Landestrainer |website=Judo Vorarlberg |date=10 May 2017 |access-date=16 August 2022}} In 2019, Fallon made the move to Welsh Judo Association to become Head of Coaching.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ijf.org/news/show/WelshJudo|title=Welsh Judo appoints Craig Fallon as Head of Coaching|website=Ijf.org}}

Death

Fallon died on 15 July 2019. His body was found at the Wrekin, a beauty spot near Wellington in Shropshire.{{Cite web|url=https://www.judoinside.com/news/3499/British_judo_legend_Craig_Fallon_dies_at_age_of_36|title=British judo legend Craig Fallon dies at age of 36|website=judoinside.com}} No cause of death was given.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/judo/49004171|title=Craig Fallon: Former world and European judo champion dies at 36|work=BBC Sport |date=16 July 2019}} The coroner at the inquest judged that Fallon had died by suicide.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/judo/2019/10/30/coroner-judges-former-british-judo-champion-craig-fallon-killed/ |title=Coroner judges that former British Judo champion Craig Fallon killed himself |first=Jeremy|last= Wilson|date=30 October 2019|work=The Telegraph}}