Athlete Biography

Name: Kayla Harrison

Weight Category: 63kg, 78kg
Date of Birth: July 2, 1990
Hometown: Middletown, Ohio

Current Residence: Wakefield, Mass.
Club Name: NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE
Coach: Jimmy Pedro

Personal:  A two-time National Champion before she was 18, Harrison is one of the top junior and senior players in the United States.  At the junior level, she won nearly every domestic event in which she has ever competed. In 2007, Kayla became the first American ever to win the prestigious Junior Belgian Ladies Open in the 70kg division, before moving back down to 63kg where she won a silver medal at the USA Judo Senior National Championships and U.S. Open.  This year, Kayla moved up to 78kg where she won her second Senior National title, after winning 70kg in 2005 as a 15-year-old, and has now earned national rankings in seven weight divisions since 2003.  Kayla won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but was not able to compete in Beijing as the United States had not qualified to participate in the division.

Recent Career Highlights

2008:

• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships (78kg)
• Gold – U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo (78kg)
• Gold – Fall Classic National Championships (78kg)
• Gold – Junior World Team Trials (78kg)

2007:

• Gold – Puerto Rico Open (70kg)
• Gold – Fall Classic National Championships (63kg)
• Gold – Junior Belgian Ladies' Open (70kg)
• Gold – High School National Championships (70kg)
• Gold - U.S. Open Championships (63kg)
• Silver – USA Judo Senior National Championships (63kg)

2006:

• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships (70kg)
• Gold – High School National Championships (70kg)
• Gold – Pan American Juvenile Championships (63kg)
• Gold – Junior U.S. Open (IJF-Junior, 70kg)
• Gold – U.S. Open Championships (Open)
• Silver – U.S. Open Championships (70kg)
• Ninth – Moscow Super World Cup (70kg)

2005:

• Gold - Junior U.S. Open (Cadet, 63kg)
• Gold - Junior U.S. Open (Youth, 63kg)
• Gold - USA Judo Junior Olympic National Championships (IJF Junior, 63kg)
• Gold - U.S. Judo Association Junior National Championships (Juvenile B, 63kg)
• Gold - U.S. Judo Association Junior National Championships (Juvenile C, 63kg)
• Gold - Liberty Bell (Junior Girls 17-19, 63kg)
• Gold - USA Judo National High School Championships (57kg)
• Silver - Pan American Cup (Juvenile, 57kg)
• Bronze - Junior British Open (63kg)
• Bronze - USA Judo Senior National Championships (63kg)

2004:

• Gold - Pan American Infantile Championships (53kg)
• Gold - Junior U.S. Open (53kg, Junior)
• Silver - Fall Classic National Championships (Senior, 52kg)
• Bronze - Junior U.S. Open (52kg, Youth)
• Bronze - USA Judo Senior National Championships (Senior, 57kg)
• Bronze - Junior British Open (52kg)

2003:

• Gold - Golden State Invitational (48kg)
• Gold - Junior U.S. Open (48kg)
• Gold - U.S. Judo Federation Junior National Championships (48kg)
• Gold - USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships (48kg)
• Gold - U.S. Judo Association Junior National Championships (48kg)