Kayla Harrison Wins Sao Paulo World Cup, Defeats Beijing Olympic Silver Medalist

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Nineteen-year-old Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) made her third World Cup medal this year a gold one when she won the 78kg division at the Sao Paulo World Cup on Saturday. 

Harrison had a first-round bye and defeated Steffani Lupetti (BRA) by three penalties in the second round.  

In the quarter-finals, Harrison met a familiar opponent in Amy Cotton (CAN), a 13-time World Cup medalist who had served as a barrier between Harrison and past titles on several occasions, including the 2009 Senior World Championships where she defeated Harrison in the second round.

Harrison dominated their match early, throwing Cotton for a waza-ari (half-point) score during the first exchange of the match.  Although the score was waved off by the referees, Harrison quickly threw Cotton again to take a waza-ari lead during the next exchange.  Neither player scored again until Harrison ended the match with another throw for a waza-ari in the final minute.

In the semifinals, Harrison led 2008 Olympic silver medalist Yalennis Castillo (CUB) by two penalties before throwing Castillo with a harai makikomi (sweeping wraparound throw) in the fourth minute for ippon (insant win). 

Competing in her first World Cup final, Harrison fought Mayra Aguiar (BRA) in front of Aguiar’s home crowd.  Although Aguiar won their last match at the Pan American Championships, neither athlete scored during the five minute match.  During the Golden Score (overtime) period, however, Harrison forced Aguiar into two penalties to earn the gold medal.

In addition to winning gold, Harrison also earned points on the World Ranking roster towards qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Two other U.S. players earned match wins on Sunday.

Beijing Olympian Travis Stevens (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) won his first match in the 81kg division against Antti Virta (FIN) by three penalties. 

In his next match, Stevens lost to Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN) by two penalties.

Jose Bencosme (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) advanced to the second round of the 81kg division after 2004 Olympic medalist Flavio Canto (BRA) withdrew from their first-round match.  Bencosme lost his next match to Guillaume Perrault (CAN) when he received a hansokumake for grabbing Perrault’s pants. 

Five-time Pan Am medalist Aaron Cohen (Buffalo Grove, Ill. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) won his first match in the 90kg division by yuko and waza-ari scores against three-time Pan Am medalist Jose Camacho (VEN).

In the second round, Cohen was down by a yuko (quarter-point) in his match against Marcus Nyman (SWE) before being pinned in the last minute.

Reigning Senior National Champion Jake Larsen (Lafayette, Colo. / Team FORCE / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) and Aaron Handy (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) also competed in the 90kg division, but both players lost in the opening round. 

Larsen lost by ippon to World and Olympic medalist Tiago Camilo (BRA). 

Handy lost to two-time Pan American silver medalist Diego Rosati (ARG) by ippon.

In the 100kg division, 2010 Pan Am medalist Kyle Vashkulat (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) had a first-round bye and led by two penalties against Tagir Khaybulaev (RUS), but the eventual silver medalist pinned Vashkulat during the third minute.

Shintaro Higashi (Scarsdale, N.Y. / NYAC / Kokushi) also had a first round bye in the 100kg division.  In the second round, Higashi lost by ippon to Dimitri Peters (GER) who went on to win his seventh World Cup medal. 

Beijing Olympian Daniel McCormick (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE) was thrown for an early waza-ari by Bayarsaikhan Tuguldur (MGL) in the +100kg division.  McCormick made up some of the deficit when the Mongolian was given two stalling penalties, but couldn’t come back to win the match.

In the women’s heavyweight division, Toni Geiger (Dumont, N.J. / Tech Judo) and Olympic medalist Idalis Ortiz (CUB) were each given two stalling penalties during the first minute of their match.  Ortiz attacked after her second penalty and won the match by ippon en route to earning the gold medal.   

Competing in the 70kg division, 2009 Senior National Champion Katie Sell (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) had a first-round bye, but lost to six-time World Cup medalist Juliane Robra (SUI) by a waza-ari after a first-round bye in the 70kg division. 

2. Sirazhudin Magomedov (RUS)
3. Emmanuel Lucenti (ARG)
3. Ivan Nifontov (RUS)
5. Antonio Ciano (ITA)
5. Nacif Elias (BRA)
7. Guillaume Perrault (CAN)
7. Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN)

Also Competed: Travis Stevens (Wakefield, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE), 1-1
Jose Bencosme (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University), 0-1

2. Varlam Liparteliani (GEO)
3. Lorenzo Bagnoli (ITA)
3. Ilias Iliadis (GRE)
5. Tiago Camilo (BRA)
5. Marcus Nyman (SWE)
7. Diego Rosati (ARG)
7. Max Schirnhofer (AUT)

2. Tagir Khaybulaev (RUS)
3. Zafar Makhmadov (RUS)
3. Dimitri Peters (GER)
5. Carlos Honorato (BRA)
5. Levan Zhorzholiani (GEO)
7. Daniel Brata (ROU)
7. Leite Leonardo (BRA)

2. Rafael Silva (BRA)
3. Paolo Bianchessi (ITA)
3. Barna Bor (HUN)
5. Oscar Brayson (CUB)
5. Janusz Wojnarowicz (POL)
7. Daniel Hernandes (BRA)
7. Walter Santos (BRA)

Also Competed: Daniel McCormick (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE), 0-1 

Women’s 70kg
1. Onix Cortes (CUB)
2. Iljana Marzok (GER)
3. Cecilia Blanco (ESP)
3. Maria Portela (BRA)
5. Juliane Robra (SUI)
5. Maria Rojas (VEN)
7. Lior Wildikan (ISR)
7. Kelita Zupancic (CAN)

Also Competed: Katie Sell (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center), 0-1

2. Mayra Aguiar (BRA)
3. Catherine Roberge (CAN)
3. Meiling Zhang (CAN)
5. Yalennis Castillo (CUB)
5. Heide Wollert (GER)
7. Amy Cotton (CAN)
7. Assunta Galeone (ITA) 

Women’s +78kg
1. Idalis Ortiz (CUB)
2. Qian Qin (CHN)
3. Tea Donguzashvili (RUS)
3. Vanessa Zambotti (MEX)
5. Gulsah Kocaturk (TUR)
5. Melissa Mojica (PUR)
7. Maria Suelen Althamam (BRA)
7. Rochele Nunes (BRA)

Also Competed: Toni Geiger (Dumont, N.J. / Tech Judo), 0-1

Tags: Kathleen Sell, Aaron Cohen, Daniel McCormick, Kathleen Sell , Katie Sell, Kayla Harrison, Travis Stevens