Team USA Falls to Brazil and Argentina at Team Tournament in Maringa, Brazil

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) - Led by Pan American and World medalists, Brazil won a men's team tournament held in Maringa, Brazil on Sunday between Argentina, Brazil and the United States.

Argentina placed second and Team USA finished third.

One of the youngest team members, 19-year-old Alfred Raymond (Scituate, R.I. / Mayo Quanchi Judo Club) garnered Team USA's only individual win of the day when he threw Alejandro Clara (ARG) for a waza-ari (half-point) to win his 73kg match.

Competing in the 90kg division, Jacob Larsen (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / Team FORCE) nearly upset Eduardo Santos (BRA), a seventh-place finisher at the 2008 Olympic Games, when he threw Santos with an uchimata (inner thigh throw); however, the throw was not called as a score and the match ended as a draw.

"It was a great atmosphere for these guys to get to compete in.  People came from all over Brazil for this event and our guys fought really hard against some great players," said Coach Bert Mackey (Edmonds, Wash.)

All three teams will train in Maringa for three days before travelling to Vitoria where the United States will compete in a second team event on Saturday against Brazil and Sunday against Argentina.

Members of the U.S. Team are as follows:

60kg
Victor Dominguez (Oklahoma City, Okla. / USA Stars), 2009 National President's Cup Championships bronze medalist and 2008 Benito Juarez Championships bronze medalist

66kg
Julio Rodriguez (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center), 2009 USA Judo Senior National Championships fifth-place finisher

73kg
Alfred Raymond (Providence, R.I. / Mayo Quanchi Judo Club), 2009 USA Judo Senior National Championships fifth-place finisher  

81kg
Jonathan Fernandez (Miami, Fla. / Baraqua Judo Kai), 2009 Junior U.S. Open Champion

90kg
Jacob Larsen (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training site at the Olympic Training Center / Team FORCE), 2009 USA Judo Senior National Championships bronze medalist and 2008 U.S. Open silver medalist

100kg
Shintaro Higashi (Scarsdale, N.Y. / NYAC), 2009 USA Judo Senior National Championships bronze medalist and 2007 USA Judo Senior National Champion 

Tags: Alfred Raymond, Bert Mackey, Jacob Larsen, Jonathan Fernandez, Julio Rodriguez Jr., Shintaro Highashi, Victor Dominguez