Judo delegation to the PJU Judo Championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (October 27, 2002) - USA Judo announced today the delegation that will attend the 2002 Pan American Judo Union Judo Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, November 8-10, 2002.

Individual Weight class competition will occur November 8th for the 4 heaviest weight categories, and November 9th for the 3 lightest weight categories plus the Open Category.  Team competition and Kata (demonstration of form) competition will occur on November 10th. The 2002 events are the 26th Individual Championship for men, the 15th individual Championship for Women, the 3rd Kata Championship, and the 2nd Team Championship.

The Individual weight class Championship is a critical Olympic qualifying event at which players who win medals earn points to qualify their country and weight class for participation in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.  Each Continental Judo Union has a quota for participation in the Games; for the Pan American Union (all countries in North, South, and Central America), it is expected that only the top 6 men and top 3 women in each weight class will be qualify to participate in Athens.  In 2000, the USA qualified all weight classes for the Olympics, one of only three countries in the world to do so.  It should be noted that the Women's 44kg, Men's 55kg and Open Categories are not contested in the Olympic Games.

For additional information, contact John Miller (303-236-5752, jonmira@aol.com)

Shiai Teams:

MEN

55 kg  - Hiram Cruz, Jacksonville, FL
60 kg  - Taylor Takata, Colorado Springs, CO
66 kg  - Alex Ottiano, Lawrence, MA
73 kg  - Chuck Jefferson, San Jose, CA
81 kg   -Rick Hawn, Colorado Springs, CO
90 kg  - Brian Olson, Colorado Springs, CO
100 kg - Michael Barnes, San Jose, CA
+100 kg - John Serbin, San Jose, CA
Open - No participant

WOMEN

44 kg  - No participant
48 kg  - Sayaka Matsumoto, Richmond, CA
52 kg  - Charlee Minkin, Colorado Springs, CO
57 kg  - Ellen Wilson, Colorado Springs, CO
63 kg  - Grace Jividen, Littleton, CO
70 kg  - Christine Yannetsos, Colorado Springs, CO
78 kg   - Jill Collins, Colorado Springs, CO
+78  kg - Nanoushka St. Pre, Colorado Springs, CO
Open     - Nanoushka St. Pre, Colorado Springs, CO

Kata Teams: 

Nage no kata

Women:
Kim  Susan,  Chicago, IL.
Martini  Ashlie, Chicago, IL

Men:
Tamai  Karl ,. Laerel, MD
Tamai  Kurt,. Laurel, MD

Ju no Kata

Women:
Anderson  Barbara, 
The Woodlands, TX
Smith  Claudia, Ctpress, TX

Men:
Bradley  Richard. Lake Forest, CA
Fernandez  Gregory, Whittier, CA

Staff:

Referees:
Noboru Saito, Clawson, MI
Teri Takemori, Scotia, NY

Coaches:
Ed Liddie, Colorado Springs, CO
Bob Berland, Lincolnshire, IL
Brett Barron, Burlingame, CA
Marisa Pedulla, Pittsburgh, PA

Chief of Delegation:
William T. Rosenberg, 
Colorado Springs, CO

Managers:
Francisco Ramirez, Vista, CA


Assistant: 
Stan Wentz, San Antonio, TX

Kata: 
Kuniko Takeuchi, Sacramento, CA

Physician:
Dr. Craig Gelfound, Palmdale, CA