JUDO: New Athletes Move into #1 Senior Elite Rankings

Colorado Springs, Colo. - When the USA Judo Senior Elite National Rosters were published this week, a collection of new faces ascended to the top rankings in eight weight divisions.

Below is a look at these new top-ranked athletes who will be players to watch on the road to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute), 48kg
After several years of sitting in the rankings behind friend and training partner Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute), Shiraishi advanced to the #1 ranking in the division after winning her first U.S. Open title in September.

Kayla Chappell (Moore, Okla. / USA Stars), 52kg
One of the youngest top-ranked players in the senior divisions, 16-year-old Chappell made a leap from #8 to #1 when she won gold at the U.S. Open. Chappell's gold medal win was the first in a major senior event for the teenager.

Hannah Martin (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center), 57kg
Twenty-year-old Martin not only won her first U.S. Open medal in September, but her gold medal combined with a bronze at the Rendez-Vous Canada last week moved Martin into the #1 ranking, passing reigning Pan American Champion Valerie Gotay (San Diego, Calif.) who has not fought since Beijing.

Nina Cutro-Kelly (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo), 78kg
In September, Cutro-Kelly won a silver medal at the Birmingham World Cup, becoming one of only two U.S. players to advance to an A-level final during the past five years. The win moved Cutro-Kelly ahead of 2008 Pan Am Team member Katie Mocco (Stillwater, Okla.)

Melinda Swanson (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri), +78kg
Back-to-back medals at the U.S. Open and Rendez-Vous moved Swanson ahead of 2008 Pan Am Team member Heidi Moore (Englewood, Colo. / Denver Judo) in the heavyweight division. Swanson, who placed fifth at open weight at the 2008 Pan Ams, is the top-ranked player in that division as well.

Steve Perez (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami), 55kg
Just days after turning 15, Perez won a silver medal at the U.S. Open and is now the #1-ranked athlete in the non-Olympic 55kg division and a frontrunner for the 2009 Pan American Championship Team.

Landry Ambouroue (North Richland, Texas / Ruben Martin Judo Training Center), 90kg
In a close race between three athletes, Ambouroue emerged on top due, in large part, to his gold medal win at the 2007 Finnish Open. Sitting within striking distance of the #1 slot are Jacob Larsen (Santa Rosa, Calif. / Team FORCE / Boulder Judo Training Center) who placed second at the U.S. Open, and reigning National Champion Garry St. Leger (Brooklyn, N.Y. / NYAC / Legrosports Starrett).

Kyle Vashkulat (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center), Open
The reigning National Champion in the division, 18-year-old Vashkulat passed 2008 Pan Am medalist Daniel McCormick (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) in the Open weight division when he won a bronze medal at the U.S. Open. Vashkulat also is ranked third in the 100kg division.

For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at 719.271.9937 (cell) or Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.