Member News
November 5, 2006
Ronda Rousey Wins Gold in Sweden
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Nineteen-year-old Ronda Rousey (Santa Monica, Calif. / NYAC) won the 63kg division of the B-Level Swedish Open on Sunday in Boras.
The win is Rousey’s third European title in 2006, following gold medals at the Belgium Ladies Open in February and the Birmingham (Great Britain) World Cup in April.
Rousey made quick work of her first opponent, throwing Marcon Bezzina (MLT), throwing her with a sumi gaeshi (sacrifice technique) and then armbarring her 18 seconds into the match.
In the second match, Rousey countered an attempt at a leg throw by Isabelle Pearson (CAN), launching Pearson onto her back for an ippon (instant win).
Rousey ended her next two matches against Johanna Ylinen (FIN) and Christina Marzok (GER) on the ground, pinning both for an ippon to advance to the final.
In the final Rousey met Aranka Schauer (AUT), a former 70kg player who moved down to 63kg earlier this year for one of the day’s most exciting matches.
Neither athlete scored until Schauer was given a penalty for stalling four minutes into the match. As the clock ran down, Schauer ran after Rousey who threw the Austrian with a cross-grip drop o soto gari (dropping major outer reaping leg throw) to score a waza-ari (half-point) and then moved straight into a pin for ippon.
In addition to Rousey’s gold medal, two other Americans posted winning records during the last day of competition.
Taylor Takata (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site) won three matches Sunday to finish seventh in the 66kg division, averaging a full five minutes per match. Takata began the day with a first-round win by a koka (smallest points) scored halfway through the match over Darri Kristmundsson (ISL). In the second round, neither Takata nor Gregor Brandtner (GER) scored during the regulation time, so the match was sent into Golden Score where Takata threw Brandtner for a yuko after a 84 seconds.
Takata looked to be a lock for the semifinals, leading his next match against eventual bronze medalist Dragan Crnov (CRO) until Crnov caught him with a throw for a yuko (quarter-point) with 28 seconds left in the match.
Takata continued to make a run at the bronze medal match when he dropped down to the repechage, winning her first fight against Simon Nessensohn (SUI) by a pair of kokas, but lost his next match against Michal Popiel (CAN) by a series of scores: a shido, followed by a yuko, waza-ari and ultimately an ippon in the final minute.
Bobby Lee (Lauderhill, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site / 73kg), the top-ranked U.S. junior, was the youngest member of the American crew, but the 18-year-old also finished seventh with a 3-2 record.
Forcing his opponents into penalties was key to Lee’s advancement through the first two rounds where he won on a penalty committed by Peter Broom (NZL) in the first match. In the second, both Lee and Robert Gess (GER) scored a yuko, but Gess received a penalty halfway through the match that would give the win to Lee.
In the quarter-finals, Jan Gosiewski (GBR) took an early lead, throwing Lee for a waz-ari 32 seconds into the match and scoring again with a yuko with just over a minute left. Like Lee’s other opponents, Gosiewski was given two penalties, but Lee couldn’t overcome the deficit and was sent to the repechage.
In Lee’s fourth fight, he threw Alexander Bakke (DEN) for a waza-ari three minutes into the match, but lost by a last-minute ippon to Diogo Coutu (POR) to finish seventh overall.
Also competing at 73kg, Dustin Moran (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Southside Dojo) went 0-1, losing 22 seconds into his first match to Alireza Parchami (SWE).
Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site) lost in the first round to Sam Dunkley (GBR) by a yuko and a koka.
Nick Kossor (Glenville, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center / 60kg) went 0-2, losing his first match to eventual champion Valtteri Jokinen (FIN). Kossor was down by a yuko and a koka in the last minute when Jokinen scored an ippon with nine seconds left in the match.
In the repechage, Ludovic Chammartin (SUI) beat Kossor by ippon in the second minute.
Kristen Allan (Springfield, Va. / Sport Judo / 63kg) had a first-round bye, but lost in the second to U.S. Open silver medalist Jennie Bonsant (CAN).
UP NEXT: Most of the Americans who competed this weekend will remain in Boras for a training camp before moving to Vantaa, Finland for next weekend’s Finland Open.
The following athletes are slated to compete in Finland:
Men
60kg: Gerard Cadet (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Starrett Judo)
Nick Kossor (Glenville, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center)
66kg: Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)
Taylor Takata (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site)
73kg: Bobby Lee (Lauderhill, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)
Dustin Moran (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Southside Dojo)
81kg: Aaron Cohen (Buffalo Grove, Ill. / NYAC / Cohen’s Judo Club)
Joshua Glasser (Saratoga, Calif. / Sacramento Judo)
90kg: Chris Snyder (Scotts, Mich. / Southside Dojo)
100kg: Adler Volmar (Miami, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
Women
48kg: Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute)
Ann Shiraishi (Elk Grove, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)
52kg: Carrie Chandler (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center)
57kg: Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site)
Stephanie Moyerman (Philadelphia, Pa. / Liberty Bell Judo)
63kg: Kristen Allan (Springfield, Va. / Sport Judo)
78kg: Nina Cutro-Kelly (Albany, N.Y. / Judo America)
Women’s 63kg
1. Ronda Rousey (Santa Monica, Calif. / NYAC), 5-0
2. Aranka Schauer (AUT)
3. Christina Marzok (GER)
3. Juliane Robra (SUI)
5. Africa Gutierrez (ESP)
5. Ania Wagner (GER)
Also Competed: Kristen Allan (Springfield, Va. / Sport Judo), 0-1
Women’s 70kg
1. Ana Cachola (POR)
2. Leire Iglesias (ESP)
3. Elisabeth Greve (GER)
3. Iliana Marzok (GER)
5. Gemma Gibbons (GBR)
5. Kerstin Thiele (GER)
Women’s 78kg
1. Alina Croitoru (ROM)
2. Julia Basler (GER)
3. Marylise Levesque (CAN)
3. Marta Tort (ESP)
Women’s +78kg
1. Marzena Makula (POL)
2. Franziska Konitz (GER)
3. Malgorzata Gornicka (POL)
3. Magdalena Koziol (POL)
Men’s 60kg
1. Valtteri Jokinen (FIN)
2. Cedric Cuq (FRA)
3. Nuno Carvalho (POR)
3. James Millar (GBR)
5. Michael Iten (SUI)
5. Ivica Kozenko (SRB)
Also Competed: Nick Kossor (Glenville, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-2
Men’s 66kg
1. Sugoj Uriarte (ESP)
2. Tiago Lopes (POR)
3. Tomasz Adamiec (POL)
3. Dragan Crnov (CRO)
5. Jonas Focke (GER)
5. Michal Popiel (CAN)
7. Taylor Takata (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site), 3-2
Also Competed: Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site), 0-1
Men’s 73kg
1. David Papaux (SUI)
2. Miguel Romero (ESP)
3. Diogo Couto (POR)
3. Craig Ewers (GBR)
5. Jan Gosiewski (GBR)
5. Florian Lackner (GER)
7. Bobby Lee (Lauderhill, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site), 3-2
Also Competed: Dustin Moran (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Southside Dojo), 0-1
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