Team USA Wins 13 Medals at Cadet Pan Am-Oceania Championships

(Colorado Springs, CO) – The U.S. team won 13 medals, including four golds, at the Cadet Pan Am-Oceania Championships in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

The top U17 athletes in the nation competed against athletes from 14 other countries and finished second in the medal standings behind host nation Brazil.

Anthony Farnot (Lehigh Acres, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center / 73 kg), Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, CA / LA Judo Club / 60 kg), Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, PA / Yawara Force / 81 kg) and Jayda Fulp (Fort Worth, TX / Chandler Judo Academy / 63 kg) each won gold medals for their respective divisions.

Farnot entered his second Cadet Pan Am-Oceania Championships as the reigning Champion who is ranked No. 1 in the world at 73 kg. Farnot successfully defended his title, pinning Nahun Ochoa (ECU) in the quarter-finals for ippon and throwing 2024 Porec Cadet European Cup bronze  medalist Silas Costa (BRA) for ippon in the semifinals. In the finals, Farnot took on teammate Heinrich Hanada (Bethesda, MD) who won his early round matches against Gabriel Perez Altamirano (CHI) and Paolo Alberto Silva Manzi (URU) in his Pan Am debut. Farnot threw Hanada for ippon (instant win) to take his second straight Cadet Pan Am-Oceania title.

A bronze medalist in the 55 kg division last year, Yang moved up to 60 kg this season and opened the tournament with two throws for waza-ari scores in just over a minute against Boris Carcamo (CHI) in the quarter-finals. In the semis, Yang forced 2024 Porec Cadet European Cup bronze medalist Fernando Mitsuda (BRA) into a pair of penalties before throwing him for ippon in the final minute. Yang controlled his final match as well, throwing Alejandro Cano (CRC) for two waza-ari scores to win gold.

Shulgin advanced to the 81 kg finals of his first Pan Ams after throwing Jhon Caicedo Sinisterra (COL) for a waza-ari score and pinning him in the semis. He went on to take gold when he threw Alem Yuma (ARG) for a pair of waza-ari scores in just over 90 seconds.

After a fifth-place finish at the 2023 Cadet Pan Ams, Jayda Fulp (Fort Worth, TX / Chandler Judo Academy) came to Rio to reach the podium and made her Cadet Pan Am medal a gold in the 63 kg division. Fulp defeated her first two opponents for waza-ari scores, throwing Charlie Thibault (CAN) in the quarters and upsetting 2023 Cadet World silver medalist Sophia Camara (BRA) in the semifinals. In the finals, Fulp threw Noilyn Aguilar Bravo (CRC) for a waza-ari and submitted the four-time Pan Am Cup medalist for gold.

Kanta Ueyama (Burbank, CA / LA Tenri Judo) and Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, NY / Colton Brown Training Center) won silver and bronze medals in the +90 kg division. Ueyama, who won silver in this event last year as well, threw Jean David Bouchard (CAN) for ippon in the quarters to set up a semifinal against Liubimovski who fought into Golden Score against Patricio Urra (CHI) before throwing the Chilean for a waza-ari and pinning him to take the match. In the semifinals, the U.S. teammates fought for nearly six minutes before Ueyama claimed the win by three penalties to two.

In the finals, Ueyama lost by a waza-ari in Golden Score to Gustavo Reis (BRA). Liubimovski trailed Jaider Mora (COL) by a waza-ari going into the third minute of their bronze medal final, but threw Mora for a waza-ari to send the match into Golden Score and scored another waza-ari to win bronze.

Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, CA / San Gabriel Judo) won her second straight silver medal in the 44 kg division. Manibog pinned Cyntia Vazquez Ortiz (MEX) in the opening minute to advance to the final where she lost by three penalties to two late in the final minute of her match against 2024 Porec Cadet European Cup Champion Juliana Yamasaki (BRA).

Fighting at his first Cadet Pan Ams, 2023 Cadet World Team member Henry Parsadanian (North Hollywood, CA / Hayastan Judo) won bronze with a 2-1 finish in the 55 kg division. Parsadanian threw Jassem Edward Fajer Solorzano (MEX) first for a waza-ari and then for ippon to advance to the semifinals where he led by a waza-ari before falling by ippon to Gabriel Aguero Vasquez (CRC). Fighting for bronze, Parsadanian threw Ivan Solis Fernandez (CRC) for a waza-ari in the first five seconds and pinned him for ipon.

Alexander Prado (Coral Springs, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) threw Jose Tiago Filho (BRA) for a waza-ari in the third minute of their 66 kg quarter-final to advance to the medal rounds for the second straight year. In the semis, Prado and Reiver Alvarenga Soto (ARG) went into the second minute of Golden Score before Prado was given a hansokumake and Soto awarded the win. Prado came back to claim his second Cadet Pan Am bronze when he choked Leonel Martinez Ruiz (MEX).

First-time Cadet Pan Am Team member Aubrey Genereux (Port Saint Lucie, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) drew Melody Grenier (CAN), a 2023 Cadet Pan Am bronze medalist at 48 kg, in the quarter-finals of the 52 kg division. The match went down to the last 30 seconds of regulation before Genereux threw Grenier for ippon. Genereux lost her next match to a 2023 Cadet Worlds fifth-place finisher, Rafaela Rodrigues (BRA), by two waza-aris, but came back to defeat Isla Diesmos (CAN) by two waza-aris in the bronze medal final.

The women’s 70 kg bronze medal final came down to a battle between 2023 Cadet World Team member Chloe Williams (Stafford, VA / Wall 2 Wall Martial Arts) and first-time Pan Am Team member Kaiya Johnston (Queens Creek, AZ / Shogun Judo). Johnston and Williams each went 1-1 in the early rounds, but it was Johnston who claimed the bronze, throwing Williams for a waza-ari in the first 30 seconds and moving into a pin.

A bronze medalist in the 70 kg division at Youth Nationals, Mackenzie Schultz (Daleville, AL / Black ICE Judo) fought up to +70 kg in Brazil to win bronze at her first Cadet Pan Ams. Schultz dropped her opener to eventual gold medalist Agatha Paixao (BRA), but won her next two matches, pinning Arianna Chaves Gonzalez (CRC) in the repechage and throwing Naomi Fowler (CAN) for bronze.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 50 kg
1. Carlos Filho (BRA)
2. Yuri Pereira (BRA)
3. Benjamin Molina (ARG)
3. David Valentin Haro Tabarez (MEX)
5. Avery Pampolina (CAN)
5. Jebin Lee (Los Angeles, CA / LA Judo Club)

Women’s 40 kg
1. Jeissiara Gomes (BRA)
2. Mikaela Cushquichushma (ECU)

Men’s 55 kg
1. Joao Gabriel Santana (BRA)
2. Gabriel Aguero Vasquez (CRC)
3. Henry Parsadanian (North Hollywood, CA / Hayastan Judo)
3. Esteban Maldonado (ARG)
5. Ivan Solis Fernandez (CRC)
5. Jassem Edward Fajer Solorzano (MEX)
7. Enzo Peralta (PAR)
7. John Madrid (CHI)

Women’s 44 kg
1. Juliana Yamasaki (BRA)
2. Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, CA / San Gabriel Judo)
3. Cyntia Vazquez Ortiz (MEX)
3. Sofia Hernandez (MEX)
5. Ambre Popoff (PYF)
5. Katherine MacArthur (CAN)

Men’s 60 kg
1. Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, CA / LA Judo Club)
2. Alejandro Cano (CRC)
3. Fernando Mitsuda (BRA)
3. Jose Sebastian Perez Saldivar (MEX)
5. Rodrigo Quispe (CHI)
5. Iker Aranda Rodriguez (PAR)

Women’s 48 kg
1. Clarice Ribeiro (BRA)
2. Nycolly Carneiro (BRA)
3. Maria Camila Bermudez (COL)
3. Carmen Ferrin (ECU)
5. Carla Leon (CHI)
5. Valeria Kostrovets (CAN)
7. Cristina Marceleno Rivera (MEX)
7. Mariana Yadeli Silva Andrade (MEX)

Also Competed: Zoe Dempsey (New Lenox, IL / Cohen Brothers Judo), 0-1

Men’s 66 kg
1. Lowan Le Bris (CAN)
2. Reiver Alvarenga Soto (ARG)
3. Tobias Vidal (ARG)
3. Alexander Prado (Coral Springs, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
5. Leonel Martinez Ruiz (MEX)
5. Jose Tiago Filho (BRA)
7. Agustin Ledesma (PAR)
7. Luciano Valentino Liori Rodriguez (URU)

Women’s 52 kg
1. Rafaela Rodrigues (BRA)
2. Kendra Quiroz Larios (MEX)
3. Aubrey Genereux (Port Saint Lucie, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
3. Melody Grenier (CAN)
5. Nayhdeli Andrade (ECU)
5. Isla Diesmos (CAN)
7. Jimena Morales Gamboa (CRC)
7. Ellianna Abbott (Rayne, LA / Louisiana Judo)

Men’s 73 kg
1. Anthony Farnot (Lehigh Acres, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
2. Heinrich Hanada (Bethesda, MD)
3. Silas Costa (BRA)
3. Nahun Ochoa (ECU)
5. Paolo Alberto Silva Manzi (URU)
5. Rafael Ramirez (MEX)
7. Gabriel Perez Altamirano (CHI)
7. Jeremias Elias (ARG)

Women’s 57 kg
1. Aline Santos (BRA)
2. Frida Maya (MEX)
3. Juana Maidana (ARG)
3. Carla Van Zyl (CAN)
5. Hayden Thibeault (CAN)
5. Constanza Nunez (ARG)
7. Jimena Arce Lacayo (CRC)
7. Luisa Villanueva Mota (DOM)

Also Competed: Anel Smanova (Brooklyn, NY / Colton Brown Training Center)

Men’s 81 kg
1. Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, PA / Yawara Force)
2. Alem Yuma (ARG)
3. Jhon Caicedo Sinisterra (COL)
3. Gilberto Neto (BRA)
5. Luciano Jimenez (CHI)
5. Anner Ortiz (ECU)

Women’s 63 kg
1. Jayda Fulp (Fort Worth, TX / Chandler Judo Academy)
2. Noilyn Aguilar Bravo (CRC)
3. Charlie Thibault (CAN)
3. Sophia Camara (BRA)
5. Arianna Turkowsky (PER)
5. Domenica Danin (ECU)
7. Martina Jorquera (CHI)
7. Alexandra Davila (CHI)

Also Competed: Dakota Hull (Northglenn, CO / Hyland Hills Judo)

Men’s 90 kg
1. Gelson Ricken III (BRA)
2. Munkhu Batbayar (CAN)
3. Tomas Quinteros (ARG)

Also Competed: Vladimir Manukyan (Santa Clarita, CA / Olymp Fight Club), 0-2

Women’s 70 kg
1. Maria Hottis (BRA)
2. Charline Bourque (CAN)
3. Missy Jen Dorval Mbele (CAN)
3. Kaiya Johnston (Queens Creek, AZ / Shogun Judo)
5. Victoria Ramirez Peguero (DOM)
5. Chloe Williams (Stafford, VA / Wall 2 Wall Martial Arts)
7. Sofia Chavez (CHI)
7. Valeria Linett Juarez Martinez (MEX)

Men’s +90 kg
1. Gustavo Reis (BRA)
2. Kanta Ueyama (Burbank, CA / LA Tenri Judo)
3. Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, NY / Colton Brown Training Center)
3. Luis Antonio Oliveira (BRA)
5. Jaider Mora (COL)
5. Patricio Urra (CHI)
7. Jose Miguel Brache Jarquin (DOM)
7. Jean David Bouchard (CAN)

Women’s +70 kg
1. Agatha Paixao (BRA)
2. Gabriela Silva (BRA)
3. Mackenzie Schultz (Daleville, AL / Black ICE Judo)
3. Kharla Casas (CHI)
5. Naomi Fowler (CAN)
5. Brisley Ordonez (ECU)