2008 U.S. Open Championships

September 26-28, 2008

Five U.S. Athletes Win Gold at U.S. Open in Colorado Springs

(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... more>

Day 2 Finals List

Preliminary and bronze medal rounds for the men’s and women’s light, middle and open divisions were held on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Below is the list of finals competitors as well as third and fifth-place finishes.

Finals begin at 5 p.m. in Sports Center I at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Divisions are listed in the order in which the matches will be contested.

Men’s 60kg

Finals: Sergei Zamotine (CAN) vs. Sergio Pessoa (CAN)

3. Aaron Kunihiro (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)

3. Diego Sachez (CAN)... more>

U.S. Open Day 2 Preview 

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Competition at the U.S. Open will concludes on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with athletes competing in the men’s and women’s middle and lightweight divisions as well as the men’s and women’s Open weight divisions. 

Competition begins at 9 a.m. in Sports Center I with preliminary and bronze medal rounds.  Gold medal finals will be held at 5 p.m.

A preview of divisions is as follows:

Women’s 48kg

Day 1 Finals Photo Gallery

Stevens and Harrison Win U.S. Open Titles

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Just six weeks after placing ninth in his Olympic debut, twenty-two-year-old Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) advanced to his third consecutive U.S. Open final on Friday night at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Returning to the tournament where Stevens first made his mark on the international scene when he won the Open in 2006, top-seeded Stevens had a bye and then won his next three matches against Guillaume Perrault (CAN),Takeshi Kurisu (JPN) and Vahram Stepanyan (No Country)... more>

Day 1 Preliminary Photo Gallery

U.S. Open Day 1 Finals List

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The men’s and women’s heavyweight and men’s 55kg divisions were held on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Preliminary sessions and bronze medal rounds were held during the early sessions.  Round robin divisions were fought to completion.  Below is the list of finals competitors as well as third and fifth-place finishes.

Finals begin at 6 p.m. in Sports Center I at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Divisions are listed in the order in which the matches will be contested.

Men’s 81kg

Finals: Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN) vs. Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)... more>

USA Judo Announces Inaugural Class of Hall of Fame Inductees

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – USA Judo is pleased to announce that the first 13 members of the USA Judo Hall of Fame were recognized Thursday evening at the Penrose House in Colorado Springs.

Among the 2008 inductees were former Senator Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell, captain of the 1964 Olympic Team; four-time Olympians and former World Champions Mike Swain and Jimmy Pedro; 1964 Olympic Team Coach Yosh Uchida; and former Pan American Judo Union Sports Director Frank Fullerton.

Inductees also will be recognized during the finals of the U.S. Open Championships at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center... more>

U.S. Open Day 1 Preview

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Competition at the U.S. Open will begin on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with athletes competing in the men’s and women’s heavyweight divisions as well as the non-Olympic women’s 44kg and men’s 55kg.

Competition begins at 9 a.m. in Sports Center I with preliminary and bronze medal rounds.  Gold medal finals will be held at 6 p.m.

A preview of divisions is as follows:

Women’s 44kg

This division is expected to be uncontested.

Women’s 63kg

U.S. Open Finals Available Next Week Via Webcast

Be sure to visit www.usjudo.org next week to check out finals of the U.S. Open via Webcast.