2008 Woodie Awards
Judo team wipes out field, claims 42nd national title
Rainier Ramirez
Issue date: 4/4/07 Section: Sports
The San Jose State University judo team threw down the competition at the Judo Association Collegiate National Championships in Miami and captured their 42nd team title in 46 years.
Out of 13 divisions, SJSU took home six gold medals, and a total of 11 overall.
"They did as expected," said Shozo Fukuda, assistant coach of the judo team. "The women dominated the categories they participated in."
He added that the men also did well, but had a difficult tournament draw to fight against.
"I think were we all expected to do pretty well," said Atsushi Yoshinaga, the gold medal winner in the men's 90 kg (198 lbs) weight class.
"My hardest match was in the finals against my teammate," Yoshinaga said. "The matches up to that were pretty easy - I had a pretty easy draw."
Two days after the team won the Collegiate Nationals, the team returned to its regular practice schedule. Yoshinaga said that the team would take a break from their training, but a bigger and more difficult tournament coming up in April.
Atsushi Yoshinaga's sister, Tomoyo, also participated in the collegiate tournament and earned a gold medal in the women's 70 kg (154 lbs) division, successfully defending her title from last year.
"I got first, and I beat and opponent that I wasn't able to beat before," Tomoyo said. "It was a very progressive weekend."
She said that even though her opponent was younger, she was experienced and put up a very good fight in the finals.
"I only had two matches before - it was a quick ippon (one point win) with my favorite throw. In my second match, we went the whole way ... it was exciting with everyone cheering."
For Marti Malloy it was her third time competing at Collegiate Nationals, but had recently moved up a weight division. After winning the title last year in the women's 57kg (126 lbs) division, she was able to repeat her winning performance in the 63kg (139 lbs) division.
"I normally fight lighter girls," Malloy said. "I had to play it safe because I didn't know their technique, their style or anything like that."
Out of 13 divisions, SJSU took home six gold medals, and a total of 11 overall.
"They did as expected," said Shozo Fukuda, assistant coach of the judo team. "The women dominated the categories they participated in."
He added that the men also did well, but had a difficult tournament draw to fight against.
"I think were we all expected to do pretty well," said Atsushi Yoshinaga, the gold medal winner in the men's 90 kg (198 lbs) weight class.
"My hardest match was in the finals against my teammate," Yoshinaga said. "The matches up to that were pretty easy - I had a pretty easy draw."
Two days after the team won the Collegiate Nationals, the team returned to its regular practice schedule. Yoshinaga said that the team would take a break from their training, but a bigger and more difficult tournament coming up in April.
Atsushi Yoshinaga's sister, Tomoyo, also participated in the collegiate tournament and earned a gold medal in the women's 70 kg (154 lbs) division, successfully defending her title from last year.
"I got first, and I beat and opponent that I wasn't able to beat before," Tomoyo said. "It was a very progressive weekend."
She said that even though her opponent was younger, she was experienced and put up a very good fight in the finals.
"I only had two matches before - it was a quick ippon (one point win) with my favorite throw. In my second match, we went the whole way ... it was exciting with everyone cheering."
For Marti Malloy it was her third time competing at Collegiate Nationals, but had recently moved up a weight division. After winning the title last year in the women's 57kg (126 lbs) division, she was able to repeat her winning performance in the 63kg (139 lbs) division.
"I normally fight lighter girls," Malloy said. "I had to play it safe because I didn't know their technique, their style or anything like that."
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