Personal:
Ben Goodrich is USA Judo’s top ranked hopeful for the 2020NE Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan…A United States Paralympic veteran, Goodrich represented the United States of America at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil…He is the son of Scott and Corine Goodrich…Has one older brother, Zach Goodrich…Lists his brother, Zach as his role model and says: “My brother was a few grades ahead of me and was the team captain in high school when I was a rookie. He influenced me the most to always do my best and push through any obstacle.”…Credits his coach Eddie Liddie as being the most influential person in his judo career, saying: “It’s been an interesting experience in judo. Not always the smoothest, but I know how much Ed cares about me and does everything he can to help me when he can.”…Lists ‘honesty’ as the aspect of judo’s moral code that is most meaningful to him saying: “I have been known to be honest to a fault. I speak my mind, but I try to be respectful as I do.”…Graduated from Concordia Academy in Roseville, Minn. with Honors in 2011…Competed in football, wrestling and track and field while in high school earning Athlete of the Year honors his senior year…Having started wrestling at the age of ten years old, Ben wrestled through his four years of high school where he received honors as Rookie of the Year his freshman year and Team MVP his senior year in which he compiled a record of 35-3 helping his school to their all-time season wins record…Was the recipient of the U.S. Army Reserve Scholar Award… Started judo in 2011 when he was 19 years old and he took judo as a physical education elective course at the University of Minnesota…Enjoyed judo so much that he joined the North Star Judo Club…Earned Bachelor’s of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance with a Minor in MIS from the University of Minnesota…Currently works for the City of Colorado Springs, Colo., aka Olympic City, USA, as a Sales Tax Technician while also training and competing full time…His favorite food is chicken alfredo and his go-to meal the night before a competition is a meat based pasta dish; anything from spaghetti to carbonara….Brooks and Dunn are his favorite musical artisst and Gladiator is his favorite movie…Hiking, trying new foods and playing cribbage are his favorite hobbies…Has travelled to 17 countries, but looks forward to getting to Italy one day to try to food …Ben’s typical workout schedule is doing strength and conditioning from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. five times a week followed by judo four to five times per week in the evening, usually between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m…His typical routine before a competition/match is to stretch and relax; then do 50 uchi komis, 25 pick ups followed by some grip fighting to get his fingers ready…Lists being a Rio 2016 Paralympian as his greatest judo accomplishment…His favorite judo moment was taking bronze at the 2019 Grand Prix in Uzbekistan.
Competition Record:
2020 Events and Results:
IBSA Judo World Cup; Tblisi, Georgia; Bronze Medal
German Open for the Visually Impaired; Silver Medal
IBSA Pan American Judo Championships; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Silver Medal
2019 Events and Results:
Parapan American Games; Lima, Peru; Bronze Medal
Grand Prix; Uzbekistan: Bronze Medal
German Open for the Visually Impaired; Gold Medal
IBSA Pan American Judo Championships
2018 Events and Results:
IBSA World Judo Championships; Fifth Place
Tokyo International Judo Championships; Tokyo, Japan; Silver Medal
IBSA Pan American Judo Championships; Silver Medal
USA Judo National Championships; Gold Medal
2017 Events and Results:
All Japan Judo Championships; Silver Medal
USA Judo National Championships; Gold Medal
IBSA Pan American Judo Championships
2016 Events and Results:
Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ninth Place
USA Judo National Championships; Gold Medal
2015 Events and Results:
German Open for the Visually Impaired; Silver Medal
Parapan American Games; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
USA Judo National Championships; Gold Medal
IBSA Pan American Judo Championships
2013 Events and Results:
IBSA World Youth and Student Games; Gold Medal
