Member News

December 1, 2006

Lambert Captures Third Pan American Infantile Championship, Leads U.S. to 12 Medals on Second Day

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Marina Lambert (Chesapeake, Va. / Washington Judo) won her third consecutive gold medal at the Pan American Infantile Championships in Maracaibo, Venezuela on Friday. 

Lambert, who also won titles in 2004 and 2005, won the +64kg division on the second day of the event in which the 13-14-year-olds were contested.  Her gold medal was one of three for the United States on Friday and 12 medals for Team USA overall to go with 12 won on Thursday.

A bronze medalist in October at the Senior U.S. Open, Lambert had little trouble with her four opponents, beating each by ippon (instant win).  One of Lambert’s most glamorous wins of the day was a crushing throw of Maria Silva (COL) with an ashi dori (lifting counter throw).

Everet Desilets (Hope, R.I. / Mayo Qunachi Judo) won a gold medal in the 36kg division after taking a bronze in last year’s 11-12-year-old 34kg event.  Desilets was down by a yuko (quarter-point) to Richard Espinoza (VEN), a silver medalist last year in the 11-12-year-old 31kg division, but came back to win the match, scoring a koka (smallest points) and a yuko.

Anthony Kwon (Kaneohe, Hawaii / Hodokan Judo Club) won the 48kg division in his first Pan American Infantile event, beating his Costa Rican opponent, Ignacio Sancho by a yuko in the final to win gold. 

Andrew Porras (Miami, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai Judo Club / 64kg) won his first two matches and led his final match against Guilherme Bezerra (BRA) with a throw for a yuko score, but Bezerra caught up with a koka and a yuko to win the match while Porras finished with a silver medal.

Ricondo Cole (Providence, R.I. / Mayo Quanchi Judo / 40kg) also won a silver medal.  After going undefeated in his previous matches, Cole was caught early in his final match against Mike Chibana (BRA) who threw him with a drop seoi nage (dropping shoulder throw) for ippon.

Gabrielle Denu (Aberdeen, Md. / College Park Judo / 48kg) won her silver medal in a hard fought final against Amanda Lima (BRA).  Denu pressed Lima throughout the match, but was ultimately thrown with an ippon seoi nage (shoulder throw) to close out the match.

Madison Hatch (Lebanon, Conn. / Mayo Quanchi Judo Club) won a silver medal at 40kg, going 3-1 in a round-robin division, losing only to Patricia Lau (BRA). 

Kyle Taketa (Torrance, Calif. / Gardena Judo / 53kg) won his third consecutive Pan Am Infantile medal with a bronze after moving up from his 2005 weight of 40kg.  Taketa’s single loss came to eventual champion Emanoel De Oliveira (BRA).  Taketa led throughout the match, by a yuko and a yoka, but lost by a waza-ari (half-point) late in the match.

After advancing through to the bronze medal match, Taketa made quick work of Jordi Menicucci (DOM), throwing the 2005 48kg bronze medalist with an ippon seoi nage in on the first exchange. 

Chrissy Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri Judo / 53kg) lost to Giullia Oliveira (BRA) in the early rounds when Chow went to throw Oliveira with an uchimata (inner thigh throw), that the Brazilian countered with a throw of her own to win the match.  Chow fought back through to win the bronze medal. 

Lydia Au (Chicago, Ill. / Tohkon Judo) went 2-1, including an opening round won on a walkover, to win the bronze medal at 58kg.

Hanif Shabazz (Atlanta, Ga. / Waka Mu Sha) came back from a first-round loss to Peru to win a bronze medal at 44kg.

Preston Quam (Oceanside, Calif. / San Shi) won a bronze medal in the 58kg division, throwing Joelson Cordeiro (BRA) with a throw for waza-ari and then pinning him for the win. 

Shea Favorite (Clermont, Fla. / Central Florida Judo & Jujitsu / 44kg) and Shaniqua Brown (Atlanta, Ga. / Waka Mu Sha Judo Club) also fought, finishing fifth.

Team USA finished second overall in both the boys’ and girls divisions behind powerhouse Brazil won 17 gold medals during the two-day event.  Venezuela and Colombia finished third in the boys’ and girls’ divisions, respectively.