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April 26, 2008    

Jordan Mouton Wins U.S. Paralympic Trials for Judo

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Eighteen-year-old Jordan Mouton (Houston, Texas / Diamondback Judo) became a longshot for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games last summer when her 57kg division was cancelled at the Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

With Team USA only qualified to send one representative in the women’s divisions – at 70kg – Mouton was said to be out of the picture, but she chose to move up two weight divisions for one final chance to fulfill her Paralympic dreams.

Mouton’s teammate at the 2007 World Championships, Lisamaria Martinez (Union City, Calif. / Stanford Judo) qualified the 70kg division by placing fifth at the Worlds and earning a silver medal at the Parpans. 

Mouton challenged Martinez at the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Trials for Judo on Saturday at Northglenn High School in Northglenn, Colo.

As the athlete who qualified the division, Martinez had the advantage and only needed one win to earn her trip to Beijing.  Mouton, however, needed two wins – and no losses – to qualify for a nomination to the Paralympic Team. 

In their first match, Mouton was down by two yuko (quarter-point) scores, but came back to pin Martinez.

The win forced a second match in which Mouton threw Martinez soundly for ippon with a left o soto gari (outer leg throw) to win the match. 

Mouton hugged her coaches and cried tears of happiness after securing her Paralympic Team slot where she will try to become the first U.S. woman to win Paralympic gold. 

In the men’s divisions, the following four players each went uncontested at the Trials and will be nominated to the Team:

• Scott Jones (Little Rock, Ark. / Little Rock Judo / 81kg)
• Andre Watson (Upper Darby, Pa. / Liberty Bell Judo / 90kg)
• Myles Porter (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 100kg)
• Greg Dewall (Chico, Calif. / +100kg)