| Member News
September 27, 2008
Five U.S. Athletes Win Gold at U.S. Open in Colorado Springs
Photos Courtesy of Herman Rojas |
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Ryan Reser threw Ghazaros Grigoryan (ARM) in the 73kg final. |
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Hannah Martin pins Hana Carmichael in the 57kg final. |
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Kayla Harrison (white) beat Katy Bryant (CAN) in the open weight final. |
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Ann Shiraishi pins Katelyn Bouyssou in the 48kg final. |
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Kayla Chappell throws Mindy Chow in the 52kg final. |
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The United States sent five athletes to the top of the podium on Saturday at the U.S. Open Championships which were held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Olympian Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) returned for his first competition since Beijing and had the opportunity to fight in the 73kg division in front of a hometown crowd filled with family and friends.
“I really just fought mainly because it was here in the Springs,” Reser said. “I’ve been training, but not really hard since the Olympics, so I just wanted to go out and have fun.”
Reser pinned his first opponent, Jose Sernaque (ECU) in the opening 30 seconds and racked up a series of scores against 2006 Junior World Team member AJ Silverman (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, however, Reser struggled for the first time during the day when fighting 2008 Junior World Team member Nick Delpopolo (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center). Although Reser led by a penalty, the match was set for overtime when he was given a stalling penalty of his own.
“I was having fun right up til that Golden Score,” Reser laughed at the end of the night.
Reser ultimately threw Delpopolo to end the Golden Score and advance to the finals against Ghazaros Grigoryan (ARM) who he put through a scoring clinic.
Up by a waza-ari (half-point) and two yukos (quarter-point each), Reser was determined to end the match with a throw for ippon (instant win) and did just that when he through the former European U-23 Championships medalist with a fireman’s carry with two seconds on the clock.
Twenty-year-old Hannah Martin (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) made her first U.S. Open medal a gold one when she won the 57kg division.
After a first-round bye, Martin defeated Stephanie Tremblay (CAN) in the first minute to advance to the semifinals against Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) who placed ninth at the 2007 World Championships as a 63kg player.
“I was nervous about fighting her since it’s been so long. We haven’t fought since I was 17 probably and I’d never beaten her, but she fought up to 63 last year and then I was 63 earlier this year so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Martin said.
It turned out the nerves weren’t needed as Martin led early in the match before throwing Malloy with a sumi gaeshi (sacrifice throw) for ippon.
In the final, Martin fought 2008 Junior World Team member Hana Carmichael (Wellington, Fla. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / Budokan Judo).
Only a year apart, the two fought back and forth for years as juniors and Martin took their last two matches less than a month ago at the Fall Classic National Championships.
With Carmichael’s only score coming from Martin’s stalling penalty, Martin led by a yuko and a koka in the last minute. Martin threw Carmichael again and went to end the match with a pin, but lost control after nine seconds of the hold.
In the final two seconds of the match, Martin threw Carmichael for a waza-ari and again went straight into a pin which she held for 20 seconds to end the match with a second waza-ari, the two of which totaled an ippon.
“It feels awesome to win the Open,” Martin said. “It’s a good accomplishment and one of my goals. I think I’ve improved a lot and that’s showed.”
Two-time Junior World Team member Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) won her fourth U.S. Open title at only 18-years-old on Saturday with each of her three matches ending with an ippon and none lasting longer than 90 seconds.
After winning the 78kg division on Friday, Harrison led by several scores before throwing Katrina McDonald (GBR) in her first match and 2008 Pan Am Team member Mindy Swanson (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri) in the semifinals.
Harrison led by a waza-ari off her first exchange with Katy Bryant (CAN) before throwing Bryant for ippon in the first 35 seconds of the match.
After placing second in the 48kg division at the 2007 U.S. Open, Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute) was back in the finals again – this time fighting against 14-year-old Katelyn Bouyssou (Hope, R.I. / NYAC / Mayo Quanchi Judo Club).
Although Shiraishi had never lost to Bouyssou who just moved up from 44kg earlier this year, Bouyssou led when they fought at the Fall Classic in August until the final minute when Shiraishi came from behind to tie the match and eventually earn an overtime win.
On Saturday night, Shiraishi took Bouyssou to the ground twice, first attempting an unsuccessful pin and then hitting the mat again for a second pin which she locked in for the full 25 seconds to win the gold.
The day’s youngest gold medalist, 16-year-old Kayla Chappell (Oklahoma City, Okla. / USA Stars) won the 52kg division when she threw 14-year-old Mindy Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri) for a koka in the first 30 seconds of overtime.
The gold medal is the first in a major senior tournament for Chappell and will move her into the #1 U.S. ranking among senior 52kg players.
In a division that included both an Olympian and an alternate to the 2008 Team, Jeff Fong (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) produced one of the day’s greatest upsets when he threw Mesrop Barbaryan (ARM), a top-five finisher at two Super World Cups last year, for ippon in the 66kg semifinals.
Fong fought Jean-Philippe Gagnon (CAN) in the final, but lost the match when Gagnon threw him for ippon in the opening minute.
Competition at the U.S. Open continues on Sunday with the master’s (over 30-years-old) divisions which begin at 9 a.m. and the kata (forms) divisions at 1 p.m.
Complete results are as follows:
Women’s 48kg
1. Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)
2. Katelyn Bouyssou (Hope, R.I. / NYAC / Mayo Quanchi Judo Club)
3. Natalie Lafon (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Bianca Ockedahl (CAN)
5. Taylor Ibera (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri)
5. Angela Creutzberger (Ballston, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
Women’s 52kg
1. Kayla Chappell (Oklahoma City, Okla. / USA Stars)
2. Mindy Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri)
3. Kim Carpenter (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Renee Guggino (CAN)
5. Tseng Yu Yu (TPE)
5. Kristin Condello (East Providence, R.I. / Mayo Quanchi Judo)
Women’s 57kg
1. Hannah Martin (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Hana Carmichael (Wellington, Fla. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / Budokan Judo)
3. Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
3. Stephanie Tremblay (CAN)
5. Ariane Bijould (CAN)
5. Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
Women’s Open
1. Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
2. Katy Bryant (CAN)
3. Mindy Swanson (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri)
3. Emily Lilly (Camarillo, Calif. / Sawtelle Judo)
5. Helen Delpopolo (Westfield, N.J. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
5. Katrina McDonald (GBR)
Men’s 60kg
1. Sergio Pessoa (CAN)
2. Sergei Zamotine (CAN)
3. Aaron Kunihiro (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
3. Diego Sachez (CAN)
5. Nick Kossor (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
5. Blake Tsuyuki (CAN)
Men’s 66kg
1. Jean-Philippe Gagnon (CAN)
2. Jeff Fong (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
3. Joel Benoit (CAN)
3. Mesrop Barbaryan (ARM)
5. Taylor Takata (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
5. Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
Men’s 73kg
1. Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
2. Ghazaros Grigoryan (ARM)
3. Samir Bouheraoua (FRA)
3. Michael Eldred (Fruitland, Idaho / Western Idaho Judo Institute)
5. Bobby Lee (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
5. Nick Delpopolo (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
Men’s Open
1. Vladimir Starcencov (MDA / Buffalo Grove, Ill. / Cohen’s Judo)
2. Tokuzo Takahashi (JPN)
3. Kyle Vashkulat (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Andrew Burns (GBR)
5. Iavor Kostadinov (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
5. Guillaume Perreault (CAN) |
