quinta-feira, novembro 01, 2007


U S JudoJUDO: Rousey Aims for Second Consecutive Swedish Open Title this Weekend
Contact: Nicole Jomantas, 719.866.4732
Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Eight current or former National Champions will be among 22 U.S. athletes competing at the Swedish Open, Nov. 3-4 in Boras.

World silver medalist and four-time National Champion Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / NYAC) won the event, and the 1,000 € prize, in 2006 as a 63kg player.

Since then, Rousey has risen to the #4-ranking in the world and has four more international titles to her credit. Like most of the U.S. players competing this weekend, Rousey is in the middle of a four-event series and is coming off wins at the Rendez-Vous Canada last week and the U.S. Open the week prior.

A 2004-2005 National Champion in the 73kg division, 31-year-old Chuck Jefferson (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) ended his five-year European medal draught in August when he earned a bronze at the German Open, a World Championship tune-up event. Jefferson won silver and bronze medals at the U.S. Open and Rendez-Vous Canada, respectively, and, when he’s having a good day, can hang well with some of the best in the world.

Seventeen-year-old Jeanette Rodriguez (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami) won the Senior Nationals in 2006, but lost to seven-time Champion Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute) in the finals this year. Both Rodriguez, who won their most recent match last week for bronze at Rendez-Vous, and Matsumoto will be competing in the 48kg division. Matsumoto placed seventh in Sweden last year, but Rodriguez will be competing in the event for the first time.

Justin Flores (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) is traditionally one of the strongest U.S. male competitors on the international circuit, placing in the top five at three World Cup events, including fifth at the Warsaw Super World Cup in March. A three-time National Champion at 66kg, Flores withdrew from the U.S. Open and placed fifth in Canada, but has beaten some of the top 10 players in the world, including a three-time European Champion earlier this year.

One of the most dynamic U.S. men’s players, Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center / 81kg) won his first European medal earlier this year at the B-Level British Open. The reigning Senior National Champion in the division, Stevens won the Pan American Games in July as well as the Rendez-Vous last week.

Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) and Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / NYAC) are two of the top players in the U.S. 63kg division, although they have only fought each other once with Malloy earning the win by a penalty at the Senior Nationals in April. Malloy, a former 57kg player, moved up to 63kg earlier this year while Harrison, the 2006 70kg National Champion, moved down to 63kg.

Neither athlete has ever competed in this tournament, but Malloy was the second highest placer for the United States at the Worlds in September, finishing ninth. Both players medaled at the Rendez-Vous and U.S. Open with Harrison winning the Open and Malloy placing second in Montreal.

Competition will be held on Saturday for the men’s 81kg, 90kg, 100kg and +100kg divisions and the women’s 48kg, 52kg and 57kg divisions. Competition continues on Sunday with the men’s 60kg, 66kg and 73kg divisions and the women’s 63kg, 70kg, 78kg and +78kg divisions.

A complete roster of U.S. players scheduled to compete is as follows:

Men
60kg: Nick Kossor (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
66kg: Justin Flores (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
73kg: Radu Brestyan (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
73kg: Nick Delpopolo (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
73kg: Chuck Jefferson (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
73kg: Michael Eldred (Fruitland, Idaho / Western Idaho Judo Institute)
73kg: Bobby Lee (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
81kg: Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
100kg: Adler Volmar (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
100kg: Aaron Handy (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
+100kg: Anthony Turner (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)

Women
48kg: Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute)
48kg: Jeanette Rodriguez (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
48kg: Ann Shiraishi (Elk Grove, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)
57kg: Hannah Martin (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
57kg: Janine Nakao (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
57kg: Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
63kg: Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
63kg: Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / NYAC)
70kg: Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / NYAC)
70kg: Emily Lilly (Camarillo, Calif. / Sawtelle Judo)

For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at 719.866.4732 or Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.

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