Member News
October 14, 2006
Junior Worlds Day 3 Preview
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Following a bronze medal finish on Friday by Ronda Rousey (Santa Monica, Calif. / NYAC) and fifth place on Thursday by Jeanette Rodriguez (Margate, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site), this year’s Junior Worlds in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is shaping up to be one of the most successful events for Team USA to date.
Saturday competition continues with the women’s 70kg and 78kg and men’s 73kg and 81kg divisions.
A preview of the day’s competition is as follows:
Women’s 70kg
Kayla Harrison (Middletown, Ohio / Renshuden) drew a first-round bye, but will have a difficult first match as she faces either Cuban Kaliema Antomachin or Na La Lee (KOR). Survival there means a likely quarter-final against one of a pair of European U-20 bronze medalists: Maria Bernabeu (ESP) or Natalia Malikova (UKR).
Pool B doesn’t contain many better options either as two-time Senior world Cup Anett Meszaros (HUN) is looking to defend her 2004 Junior World title.
Look for Tomoe Ueno (JPN), sister of Athens Olympic gold medalist Masae Ueno and a 2005 Asian Junior Champion in her own right, to advance to the finals through the bottom half of the pool.
Women’s 78kg
After an attainable first round against Tijana Radic (SCG), Marina Shafir (Latham, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center) would meet 2005 European U-20 bronze medalist Mariya Oryashkova (BUL) in the second round. A win here is likely necessary to guarantee further competition as the pool also includes 2006 European U-20 Champion Judith Jaeqx (NED).
In the top pool of Shafir’s draw, two-time Junior Belgian Ladies Open Champion and 2006 Tre-Torri bronze medalist Sally Conway (GBR) should be watched to make a run at a trip to the semifinals.
On the bottom half of the draw, medal round hopefuls include Viktoriya Denysenko (UKR), 2006 European U-20 silver medalist; Daria Pogorzelec (POL), 2006 European U-20 bronze medalist; and Da Woon Jung (KOR), 2006 Asian Junior Champion.
Men’s 73kg
Many divisions at Junior Worlds contain what many would call “a ringer” – a player who would be an athlete to be feared on the senior circuit who just happens to be trapped in the body of a teenager. During the first two days of competition, we’ve seen Senior World Champions, Olympians and World Cup Champions all competing in the junior ranks. At 73kg, this guy is Elnur Mammadli (AZE), the 18-year-old 2006 Senior European Champion who is ranked fifth in the world following three World Cup medals, including a bronze at this year’s Moscow Super World Cup.
Fortunately for Nick Delpopolo (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center), one of the U.S. men’s top prospects for a placing here, Mammadli lurks on the opposite side of the draw.
Not to say that Delpopolo’s half is a walk through the park either. A first round win over Sergiu Toma (MDA) is necessary for success as the second round would pit Delpopolo against Serazhoudi Magomedov (RUS), a European U-20 bronze medalist at 81kg. Although not particularly a large 73kg player, Delpopolo has fought 81s before and defeated 81kg Athens Olympian Rick Hawn earlier this year, so size will indeed be a consideration, but if he fights well, Delpopolo has the potential to produce a win here. Surviving this match would mean a third round against either Guido Carnebianca (ITA) or Addison Carlyon (AUS).
Should Delpopolo advance to the quarter-finals, watch for a likely match against Vasilis Kvasilava (GRE), a fifth-place finisher at this year’s European U-20s.
In Pool B, Asian bronze medalist Kazushi Nishioka (JPN), a 2005 Asian Junior bronze medalist, could be a semifinal opponent for Delpopolo.
And though Mammadli is the favorite to win the division, Senior World Champion Yanet Bermoy’s (CUB) near defeat at 48kg was a clear demonstration that credentials don’t win matches and, with that in mind, other athletes to watch in the bottom half of the pool for a finals run include 2006 European Junior Champion Mickael Remilien (FRA) and Alexandr Kasachev (KAZ), 2006 Asian Junior bronze medalist.
Men’s 81kg
The good news for Yuko Sin (Glenville, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center) is that he has a first-round bye followed by a second-round match against Nkewami Lokoku (COD) that should be attainable for a win. It’s the third round that will be difficult as Sin will face either reigning European U-20 Champion Sven Maresch (GER) or 2005 European U-20 bronze medalist Kacper Larem (POL). Also to be watched in Pool A is Aljaz Sedej (SLO), 2006 European bronze medalist.
The bottom half of the draw also is stacked with formidable players, including Milan Randl (SVK), 2006 European U-20 bronze medalist; Iraj Amirkhani (IRI), the reigning Asian Junior Champion and 2005 medalist; Farmon Kabulov (UZB), a two-time Asian Junior silver medalist; and Timur Bolat (KAZ), a 2006 Asian Junior bronze medalist.
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