Name: Sayaka Matsumoto
Weight Category: 48kg
Date of Birth: December 5, 1982
Place of birth: Omiya, Japan
Hometown: Richmond, Calif.
Current Residence: El Cerrito, Calif.
Judo Rank: Sandan (3rd degree black belt)
Club: New York Athletic Club / East Bay Judo Institute
Coach: David Matsumoto
Education: University of California - Berkeley (B.A. in Mass Communications); Graduate of St. Mary's High School

Favorite Technique: Uchimata (inner thigh throw), o soto gari (major outer leg throw)

Honors:

• Training partner for 2000 Olympic Team in Sydney
• 2000 U.S. Olympic Committee Female Judo Player of the Year
• 2001 National High School Championships Best Technique Award
• 2003 National Championships Outstanding Player Award
• 2004 National Championships Best Technique Award
• Seven-time National Champion (2000 - 2005, 2007)

Olympic Teams: 2008, Alternate in 2000

World Championship Teams: 2005, 2003, 2001

Pan American Championship Teams: 2008 (Fifth), 2006 (Bronze), 2005 (Bronze), 2004 (Fifth), 2003 (Silver), 2002 (Fifth), 2000 (Bronze)

Pan American Games Teams: 2003 (Seventh)

Personal: Matsumoto was born in Japan and raised in the Bay Area. She began studying judo at the age of 5, under the instruction of her father, David Matsumoto. Matsumoto’s love for judo drove her to six consecutive national titles and seven championships overall.  At 17-years-old, Matsumoto missed out on the 2000 Olympic Games when the Team was selected through a point system instead of a Trials. After Sydney, Matsumoto claimed the #1 ranking until the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when the United States fell one slot short of qualifying the division.  At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo, however, all of Matsumoto's dreams came true when she won the event and qualified for her first Games.

Recent Career Highlights:

2008:

• Gold – U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo
• Silver – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Silver – Olympic Zone Cup
• Fifth – Pan American Championships

2007:

• Gold – Finnish Open
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Gold – Fall Classic National Championships
• Bronze – U.S. Open
• Fifth – Rendez-Vous Canada
• Fifth – British Open

2006:

• Silver – U.S. Open
• Silver – Finnish Open
• Silver – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Bronze – Pan American Championships

2005:

• Gold – Puerto Rico Open
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Bronze – Pan American Championships
• Bronze – U.S. Open
• Bronze – Rendez-Vous Canada

2004:

• Gold – U.S. Olympic Trials, weight not qualified to attend
• Gold – Fall Classic Nationals
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships (52kg)
• Silver – U.S. Open
• Fifth – Rendez Vous Canada
• Fifth – Pan American Championships

2003:

• Gold – Rendez Vous Canada
• Gold – Benito Juarez Championships
• Gold – FEDO Judo Championships
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Gold – Fall Classic National Championships
• Silver – Pan American Championships
• Silver – Olympic Qualifier
• Silver – Titan Games
• Bronze – U.S. Open
• Seventh – Pan American Games

2002:

• Gold – Collegiate National Championships
• Gold – Fall Classic Nationals
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Bronze – Benito Juarez Championships
• Bronze – Rendez Vous Canada
• Bronze – U.S. Open

2001:

• Gold – National High School Championships
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Silver – U.S. Open
• Bronze – Rendez Vous Canada
• Bronze – Pan American Junior Championships

2000:

• Gold – National High School Championships
• Gold – National Championships
• Gold – U.S. Judo Federation Junior National Championships
• Gold – USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships
• Gold – Miami Youth International (now the Junior U.S. Open)
• Gold – U.S. Judo Federation Kata Championships
• Silver – World Junior Championships
• Bronze – Pan American Championships