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East Bay Judo Institute members Sayaka Matsumoto, Marija Djokic, and Marti Malloy competed at the 2002 US Open Judo Championships held 13-14 October 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Cashman Convention Center. Three hundred and thirty contestants from 25 countries competed in this two-day event. On the first day of competition, EBJI member Marija Djokic, 18, a freshman at San Francisco State University, turned in a solid performance in the female under 63 kg division. In the first round, Djokic defeated Telitha Ellis, perennial elite player from New Jersey, by a yuko with ouchi-gari (major inner reap) at the end of the match to come from behind to win. In the second round, Djokic faced Roxana Garcia from Puerto Rico. Tied at the end of regulation time, the match went to Golden Score overtime, where the first score of any kind wins. Thirty seconds into Golden Score, Djokic attacked with uchimata (inner thigh throw) but was countered for a koka (minor point), ending the match and sending Djokic into the repechage. In the first round of the repechage, Djokic faced Gina Mattia of New York, planting her convincingly for ippon with uchimata. In the next round, Djokic faced Miriam Ruiz of Mexico. Despite a gutsy performance, Djokic was not able to defeat Ruiz, who moved into the medal rounds and eventually ended with a bronze medal. The second day of competition saw EBJI members Matsumoto and Malloy compete. Matsumoto, 19, competing in the female under 48 kg division, met Bianca Ockedal of Canada in the first round, and easily defeated her with osoto gari (major outer reap) for wazari (half point) and following with a pin for ippon. In the second round Matsumoto faced Donna Robertson of Great Britain. Early in the match Matsumoto threw Robertson with osoto gari for wazari, but later in the match was countered twice with uchimata sukashi for yuko (partial) and wazari points, giving Robertson the comeback win and advancement into the finals. Matsumoto dropped to the repechage to face Olympic Training Center elite athlete Crystal Brown, and easily handled her, throwing her with osoto gari for ippon to advance to the bronze medal match. There, she met Christina Pro of Pennsylvania, whom Matsumoto subsequently threw also with a spectacular osoto gari for ippon and the bronze medal. It was Matsumoto�s second bronze medal at this tournament in as many years. Malloy, 16, competed in the female under 57 kg division. In her first round she beat Louise Renicks of Great Britain. In the second round she crushed Yaremi Labrada by osoto gari for ippon. In the third round she trounced Maryse Guilbault of Canada, putting Malloy into the semifinals. Here, however, she met Canadian National team member Michelle Buckingham, who leg picked Malloy for ippon, dropping Malloy to the bronze medal match later in the evening. In that match Malloy met up with a determined Jessica Garcia from Puerto Rico who threw Malloy with seoinage (shoulder throw) for wazari and then a leg pick for ippon. Finishing 5th, it was a great performance by Malloy in her first senior international competition. The East Bay Judo Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the teaching of Kodokan judo. The head instructor is Dr. David Matsumoto, 6-dan. For more information about classes and training, call 510-237-0607 or visit their website at www.ebji.org.
DR. DAVID MATSUMOTO |