Member News

June 23, 2007

Six U.S. Athletes Win Gold at World Masters Championships

The premier event for athletes aged 30 and over, the World Masters Championships, was held last week in Sao Paulo Brazil with Team USA winning 16 medals, including five gold.

After moving down to the 90kg, Dennis Scheib (Atlanta, Ga. / Atlanta Judo) won gold in the 55-59-year-old division after placing third at 100kg in the 2006 Championships in Tours, France..

Sandy North (Hollywood, Fla. / Budokan Judo) returned to the 50-54-year-old 66kg division and won a gold medal after placing second last year.

Julian Alex Prado (Coral Springs, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai) won gold in the 35-39-year-old 60kg division, repeating his title from the first Masters World Championships five years ago in Canada.

Ferd Tihista (Watsonville, Calif. / Watsonville Judo) competed in the event’s oldest age bracket, men’s 80+, winning an uncontested gold medal in the +100kg division.  Tihista also won gold in 2006 at 75-79 +100kg.

On the women’s side, Marisa Hernandez (Watsonville, Calif. / Watsonville Judo) also improved her 2006 results, winning the 40-44-year-old +78kg division where she previously placed second.

Destinee Tartuffe (Calistoga, Calif. / SRJC Judo Club) also won gold, taking the 45-49-year-old 70kg title.

Teimoc Johnston-Ono (New York City, N.Y. / NYAC), a 1976 Olympian, finished second in the 50-54-year-old 100kg division, losing in the finals to Bosnian Slavko Sikira.

James Haynes (Richmond, Texas / Friendswood Judo Academy) placed second in the 90kg 75-59-year-old division.

Six U.S. athletes won bronze medals in the shiai divisions, including:

• Dave Loyst (Dana Point, Calif. / Bunasawa Kai Judo Club / 50-54-year-old 81kg)
• Istvan Illes (Salem, N.H. / Pedro’s Judo Center / 55-59-year-old 81kg)
• Arthur Canario (New York City, N.Y. / NYAC / 55-59-year-old 100kg)
• Clyde Worten (Ridgefield Park, N.J. / Tech Judo / 60-64-year-old 81kg)
• Low Dong (Lomita, Calif. / Gardena Judo / 65-69-year-old 66kg)
• Parker Shelton (Fort Wayne, Ind. / 65-69-year-old 100kg)

In the kata division, the lone U.S. team took home three medals.  Sam Mitani (Cypress, Calif. / Bunasawa Kai Judo Club) and Brian Marks (Orange County Kodokan) won bronze medals in the Koshiki No Kata, Joshin Jitsu and Itsusu No Kata divisions.