U S JudoPAN AM GAMES - JUDO: Team USA's Performance Deemed a Success with Six Medals and Olympic Qualification Well Underway
Contact: Nicole Jomantas, Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us
PAN AM GAMES – JUDO: Team USA’s Performance Deemed a Success with Six Medals and Olympic Qualification Well Underway
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) – There was more at stake for Team USA when the judo competition got underway in Rio de Janeiro on July 19 than just medals – although with six of those won by the United States, there were plenty of trips to the podium to be had as well.
The third of five Olympic qualifiers, the Pan American Games were worth double the value of the other four and represented 33% of the qualifying total for nations in the Pan Am Region. The final two qualifying tournaments for the U.S. Team will be held May 8-11, 2008 in Miami, Fla. at the Pan Am Championships and Olympic Zone 1 Qualifier.
“This was the event that each of the countries that participated last week were all gearing their training toward because everyone knew that placing well puts countries into an excellent position for 2008,” said Coach Jason Morris (Glenville, N.Y.) “We were all very proud of how the Team performed under the pressure of this being such a key Olympic qualifier.”
At the conclusion of the Games, Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 73kg) and Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center / 81kg) each had both gold medals as well as the knowledge that their weight categories had been mathematically qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games, pending participation of U.S. athletes in the final two qualifiers in Miami next year.
“I’m feeling pretty confident… Now I can focus more on preparing for Trials and going to camps and events where I can focus on how I’m going to prepare for those guys who I would see at the Olympics,” Reser said.
Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) got the momentum going for the Team on July 20 with her gold medal win in the 70kg division. Although Rousey was the first to compete in a high-pressure final, the 2004 Olympian handled the pressure well, throwing
Mayra Silva (BRA) for ippon (instant win) in the final 16 seconds of the match.
Less than half an hour later, Rick Hawn (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE) added a second medal to the tally when he threw Julian Gutierrez (MEX) for ippon midway through his bronze medal final in the 90kg division.
The following day turned out to be the best for Team USA with three athletes advancing to the finals.
Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) and Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) each won gold in the 73kg and 81kg divisions, respectively.
En route to gold, both athletes posted wins over 2004 Olympic medalists from host country Brazil.
Reser threw Leandro Guilheiro for ippon at the one minute mark of his gold medal final. Stevens, on the other hand, threw Brazilian fan favorite Flavio Canto in the semifinal to advance to the gold medal round where he threw Mario Valles (COL)
for ippon.
Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen) also competed in the finals, winning a silver medal in the 57kg division. Gotay went 2-0 to advance to the final, but lost on a penalty to Danielle Zangrando (BRA).
The competition concluded on July 22 as Jeanette Rodriguez (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami) won a bronze medal in the 48kg division on her seventeenth birthday when she beat former Pan Am Championships medalist Glenda Miranda (ECU) in her final match.
Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University / 63kg) and Marina Lambert (Chesapeake, Va. / Washington Judo / 78kg) earned fifth-place finishes that also gave them valuable Olympic qualification points.
“I’m extremely happy and proud of our entire staff, USA Judo and the USOC who have provided these kids with a fantastic opportunity and these athletes have taken advantage and are performing,” said Coach Jason Morris (Glenville, N.Y.) “The Games were a huge success for all of us.”
The six medals won by Team USA, including three golds, marked the best finish by a judo team at the Pan American Games since the 1991 Games in Havana, Cuba.
“This was easily one of youngest Pan American Games Teams we’ve had, but everyone really performed well. We’re in a good position for Olympic qualification for Beijing and that’s really what our biggest goal was for Rio,” said Eddie Liddie (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Judo Director of Athlete Performance. “I think the new programs we’ve implemented during the past year have brought us to this point and we’re making strides to have a good ’08 and even better results in 2012.”
For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.
Contact: Nicole Jomantas, Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us
PAN AM GAMES – JUDO: Team USA’s Performance Deemed a Success with Six Medals and Olympic Qualification Well Underway
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) – There was more at stake for Team USA when the judo competition got underway in Rio de Janeiro on July 19 than just medals – although with six of those won by the United States, there were plenty of trips to the podium to be had as well.
The third of five Olympic qualifiers, the Pan American Games were worth double the value of the other four and represented 33% of the qualifying total for nations in the Pan Am Region. The final two qualifying tournaments for the U.S. Team will be held May 8-11, 2008 in Miami, Fla. at the Pan Am Championships and Olympic Zone 1 Qualifier.
“This was the event that each of the countries that participated last week were all gearing their training toward because everyone knew that placing well puts countries into an excellent position for 2008,” said Coach Jason Morris (Glenville, N.Y.) “We were all very proud of how the Team performed under the pressure of this being such a key Olympic qualifier.”
At the conclusion of the Games, Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 73kg) and Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center / 81kg) each had both gold medals as well as the knowledge that their weight categories had been mathematically qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games, pending participation of U.S. athletes in the final two qualifiers in Miami next year.
“I’m feeling pretty confident… Now I can focus more on preparing for Trials and going to camps and events where I can focus on how I’m going to prepare for those guys who I would see at the Olympics,” Reser said.
Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) got the momentum going for the Team on July 20 with her gold medal win in the 70kg division. Although Rousey was the first to compete in a high-pressure final, the 2004 Olympian handled the pressure well, throwing
Mayra Silva (BRA) for ippon (instant win) in the final 16 seconds of the match.
Less than half an hour later, Rick Hawn (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE) added a second medal to the tally when he threw Julian Gutierrez (MEX) for ippon midway through his bronze medal final in the 90kg division.
The following day turned out to be the best for Team USA with three athletes advancing to the finals.
Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) and Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) each won gold in the 73kg and 81kg divisions, respectively.
En route to gold, both athletes posted wins over 2004 Olympic medalists from host country Brazil.
Reser threw Leandro Guilheiro for ippon at the one minute mark of his gold medal final. Stevens, on the other hand, threw Brazilian fan favorite Flavio Canto in the semifinal to advance to the gold medal round where he threw Mario Valles (COL)
for ippon.
Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen) also competed in the finals, winning a silver medal in the 57kg division. Gotay went 2-0 to advance to the final, but lost on a penalty to Danielle Zangrando (BRA).
The competition concluded on July 22 as Jeanette Rodriguez (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami) won a bronze medal in the 48kg division on her seventeenth birthday when she beat former Pan Am Championships medalist Glenda Miranda (ECU) in her final match.
Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University / 63kg) and Marina Lambert (Chesapeake, Va. / Washington Judo / 78kg) earned fifth-place finishes that also gave them valuable Olympic qualification points.
“I’m extremely happy and proud of our entire staff, USA Judo and the USOC who have provided these kids with a fantastic opportunity and these athletes have taken advantage and are performing,” said Coach Jason Morris (Glenville, N.Y.) “The Games were a huge success for all of us.”
The six medals won by Team USA, including three golds, marked the best finish by a judo team at the Pan American Games since the 1991 Games in Havana, Cuba.
“This was easily one of youngest Pan American Games Teams we’ve had, but everyone really performed well. We’re in a good position for Olympic qualification for Beijing and that’s really what our biggest goal was for Rio,” said Eddie Liddie (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Judo Director of Athlete Performance. “I think the new programs we’ve implemented during the past year have brought us to this point and we’re making strides to have a good ’08 and even better results in 2012.”
For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.
