The USA Judo Youth National Championships was well attended as USA Judo, Denver Judo, and OTC Judo Club hosted 687 registered youth athletes.
A tournament at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, gave many of the retired Olympians and athletes nostalgia, while also inspiring the new up-and-coming athletes.
Olympians in attendance were: Craig Agena (1984), Kevin Asano (1988), Pat Burris (1972, 1976), Nick Delpopolo (2012, 2016), Rhadi Ferguson (2004), Valerie Gotay (2008), Israel Hernandez (1992, 1996), Grace Jividen (1992), Brian Olson (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008), Lynn Roethke (1988, 1992) , Celita Schutz (1996, 2000, 2004), Travis Stevens (2008, 2012, 2016), Taylor Takata (2008), German Velazco (2000), Hilary Wolf-Sauba (1996, 2000), and Nicky Yonezuka (1980).
The 2019 Youth National Championships served as the qualifying tournament for the Junior Pan Am Team, Junior World Team, Cadet Pan Am Team, and Cadet World Team.
The following athletes qualified for the Junior Pan Am and Junior World Teams:
Female:
- -48kg Alexa Silao
- -52kg Noran Elmahroukey, TEO BJJ
- -57kg Mariah Holguin, Universal Judo
- -63kg Sara Golden, Cohen Brothers Judo Club
- -70kg Noelle Acosta
- -78kg Natalija Stanojevic, Menomonee Judo Club
Male:
- -60kg Jacob More, Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center
- -66kg Ricky Marin, Mojica Judo Club
- -73kg Sandro Chaladze, Fight Factory Gym
- -81kg Adrian Bernal, Texas A&M University Judo
- -90kg Jeff Stout, Sasaki Judo
- -100kg Daniel Pavlov, Samir Judo
- +100kg Eric Kalajyan, Valley Judo Institute
The following athletes qualified for the Cadet Pan Am and Cadet World Teams:
Female
- -40kg Luchia Torro, Sawtelle Judo Dojo
- -44kg Anat Tsyrlin, Tech Judo
- -48kg Alexa Silao
- -52kg Marisol Torro, Sawtelle Judo Dojo
- -57kg Skylar Hattendorf, Pedro Judo Center
- -63kg Karlee Carrouth, USA Stars Foundation
- -70kg Noelle Acosta
- +70kg Natalija Stanojevic, Menomonee Judo Club
Male:
- -50kg Tegan Yuasa, Budokan Judo Dojo
- -55kg Julian Crisostomo, Jason Morris Judo Center
- -60kg Dominic Rodriquez, Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center
- -66kg Dimitri Gamkrelidze, Fight Factory Gym
- -73kg Nick Yonezuka, Cranford JKC
- -81kg Alexander Knauf, Cohen Brothers Judo Club
- -90kg Alex Semenenko, Generation Judo Club
- +90kg Andrew Williams, Wall 2 Wall Martial Arts
Team trophies were also presented to the top three teams with the most points at the Youth National Championships.
Winning Team:
- Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center, Head Coach: Jhonny Prado
- Chief Pride Judo, Head Coach: Danny Rodriquez
- USA Stars Foundation, Head Coach: Pat Burris
Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Youth National Championships such a great success. We are grateful for our event staff, volunteers, referees, members, coaches, parents and athletes.
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