| Member News
February 17, 2011
Dusseldorf Grand Prix promises big points for placers this weekend
 (Colorado Springs, CO)
Thirteen top athletes for Team USA headed for one of the toughest tournaments in the world slated this weekend in Germany.
The Judo Grand Prix Dusseldorf is an A-level event tempting athletes with 15 ranking points for a gold medal win and nine points for a silver and six for bronze. The only thing higher includes A+ tourneys like the Olympics and World Championships. Up to 560 athletes from 65 countries are expected.
The Team is being coached by Ed Liddie, USA Judo’s Director of Athlete Performance who oversees training of all elite athletes sparring for Olympic team spots, and Jim Pedro Sr., father of two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jimmy Pedro, who heads USA Judo’s Team FORCE in Wakefield, Mass. Coaching Jonathan Fernandez in the 81 kg division is Alberto Fernandez.
Listed below are the athletes who traveled with the team, their weight divisions and some recent medal highlights.
Among the list of five females competing for Team USA are:
- Anna Palmer, 57kg – Silver, 2010 USA Judo Senior National Championships
- Christal Ransom, 63kg – Gold, 2010 USA Judo Senior National Championships
- Janine Nakao, 63kg – Silver, 2010 Senior Pan American Championships
- Marti Malloy, 57kg – Gold, 2010 Belgian Ladies' Open
- Jeanette Rodriguez, 52kg – Bronze, 2010 Senior Pan American Championships
And the men competiting for Team USA (and their divisions) include:
- Jonathan Fernandez, 81kg – Fifth, 2010 US Open
- Bobby Lee, 90kg – Gold, 2007 Puerto Rico Open
- Aaron Kunihiro, 60kg – Bronze, 2010 USA Judo Senior Nationals
- Dan McCormick, 100+kg – 2008 Olympic Team
- Nick Delpopolo, 73kg – Gold, 2010 Venezuela World Cup
- Travis Stevens, 81kg – Gold, 2010 USA Judo Senior National Championships
- Mike Preiditis, 100+kg
- Toshiya Nishimura, 66kg
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