Name: Taraje Williams-Murray
Weight Category: 60kg
Date of Birth: November 9, 1984
Place of Birth: Bronx, N.Y.
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.

Current Residence: Wakefield, Mass.
Clubs: New York Athletic Club / USA Judo National Training Site at Team FORCE / Spartak Sports Club
Coach: Jimmy Pedro and Arkadiy Aronov
Education: B.S. in Computer Science, Long Island University.  Pursuing a master's degree from Boston University - Metropolitan College in banking and financial services.

Honors:

• 2005 National Championships Best Technique Award
• 2003 National Championship Outstanding Athlete Award

Olympic Teams: 2004

World Championship Teams: 2007, 2005 (Ninth)

Pan American Games Teams: 2007 (Seventh)

Pan American Championship Teams: 2004

Junior World Championship Teams: 2002

Personal: Williams-Murray took up judo at 8-years-old after his cousin started the sport.  The fourth of six children, he says at one time they all did judo and all were home-schooled. His sisters, Kaure and Kinanda, both medaled at the senior nationals, but Williams-Murray was the only one to stick with the sport.

From the very beginning Williams-Murray was in love with judo – as a kid, he says the worst punishment his parents could give was be not allowing him to go to practice.  Watching the men’s lightweight division at the senior nationals when he was just 12, Williams-Murray told those around him that he was going to take over that weight class.  

An accomplished junior level competitor and member of the 2002 U.S. Junior World Championship team, Williams-Murray officially moved up to the senior level in 2003.  He quickly took over the top spot at 60 kilograms. Since that time, he became the dominant player in the division, winning three consecutive National Championships, beginning in 2003.  In 2006, Williams-Murray moved up to the 66kg division for a season, winning medals at the Senior Nationals and U.S. Open, but returned to 60kg in 2007 where he has been undefeated so far this season.

Recent Career Highlights:
2007:

• Gold – Tre-Torri International
• Gold – USA Judo Senior National Championships
• Gold – New York Open
• Seventh – Pan American Games

2006:

• Bronze – National Championships (66kg)
• Bronze – U.S. Open (66kg)

2005:

• Gold – National Championships
• Gold – World Team Trials
• Silver – U.S. Open
• Bronze – New York Open
• Ninth – World Championships

2004:

• Gold – Titan Games
• Gold – New York Open
• Gold – National Championships
• Bronze – Benito Juarez Championships

2003:

• Gold – Am-Can Judo Challenge
• Gold – National Championships
• Gold – Rendez Vous Canada
• Gold – U.S. Open
• Silver – New York Open