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US Judoka Head to High-Stakes Grand Prix In Abu Dhabi

October 12, 2011 - Team USA judo stars head this week to a high-stakes Grand Prix tournament in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Competition starts Sunday.

Grand Prix tournaments promise big prize money for placing and some of the highest ranking points of any competition on Earth, making this a huge draw for fighters looking to qualify for the Olympics in London next year.

Among those representing the United States in Abu Dhabi will be Kayla Harrison, 78 kg (Team FORCE, Wakefield, Mass.), who took gold at the World Championships in Tokyo last year and now says the bronze she won at the same tournament this year in Paris wasn’t up to her standards. She’ll be hunting for momentum in Abu Dhabi.

Also fighting this week is Nick Delpopolo, 73 kg (Jason Morris Judo Center, Glenville, NY), who less than two weeks ago went 5-0 in Liverpool to take gold at the Great Britain World Cup. Days later he headed to another World Cup in Azerbaijan after making a quick back-and-forth to the States – travel weary, he failed to place, but now heads to this Grand Prix with renewed determination.

Coaching the team at this important tournament will be Team USA’s Olympic Coach Jimmy Pedro, who heads Team FORCE in Wakefield, Mass.

Competition is scheduled Sunday, Oct. 16 through Tuesday, Oct. 18. Look for live results HERE. A total of $200,000 in prize money will be awarded at this tournament.

Other top players for the U.S. in Abu Dhabi will be Travis Stevens, Kyle Vashkulat, Marti Malloy and Michael Eldred. The complete roster follows:

 - Story by Ernest Pund