Member News

December 15, 2006

U.S. Athletes to Compete at World University Championships this Weekend

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Two judo players will represent the United States at the World University Judo Championships from Dec. 17-19 in Suwon, Republic of Korea.

Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / University of California – Berkeley / 48kg), and Melinda Swanson (Honolulu, Hawaii / University of Hawaii at Manoa / +78kg) each will be competing in their first World University Championships against competitors from an estimated 45 nations.

Matsumoto, who just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from UC – Berkeley, is the most seasoned competitor of the two, having won six National Titles and four Pan American Championship medals.

Swanson made an impressive debut at her first Senior Nationals, winning the event in April and placing fifth at the U.S. Open in October.

The team is led by coaches Derrick Kerr (Honolulu, Hawaii) and David Matsumoto (Richmond, Calif.)

Competition schedule is as follows:

December 17 :  Men’s +100kg, 100kg, 90kg and Women’s +78kg, 78kg, 70kg

December 18:  Men’s 81kg, 73kg and Women’s 63kg, 57kg

December 19:  Men’s 66kg, 60kg, Open and Women’s 52kg, 48kg and Open