Team USA to Compete at Pan American U13 and U15 Championships in Brazil This Weekend

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) - Twenty-one junior athletes will compete this weekend in the Pan American U13 and U15 Championships on Saturday and Sunday in Porto Alegre, Brazil.  

These young athletes will compete against players from more than a dozen nations throughout North and South America.  

The team is being led by coaches Pam McDonald (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and Bobby Vigness (Cooper City, Fla.) and team manager Devin Cohen (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

Competition will be held on Saturday for the U13 division and Sunday for the U15 division.

The U.S. Team roster is as follows:

U13 Male

28kg
Mikael Codinach (Miami, Fla. / Champion Martial Arts)

31kg
Zachary Sherman (Plantation, Fla. / Vigness Judo) 

34kg
Brian Abreu (Miami, Fla. / Champion Martial Arts)

38kg
Leo Naumann (Cleveland, Okla. / USA Stars)

42kg
Alejandro Menendez (Miami, Fla. / Falcon Judo) 

47kg
Matthew Landry (Forestdale, Mass. / JW Judo Club)

U13 Female
31kg
Amber Pair (Cascade, Idaho / McCall Judo)

34kg
Gabriela Rivera (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Panther Judo)

38kg
Ashlyn White (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Panther Judo)

42kg
Roya Garakani (Danville, Calif. / Cupertino)

47kg
Katherinne Lieby (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Panther Judo) 

U15 Male
36kg
Matthew Kearney (Keller, Texas / Okuri Judo)

40kg
Donald Moseman III (San Carlos, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club)

44kg
Justin Anthony (Oklahoma City, Okla. / USA Stars)

53kg
William Inserra Jr. (Stafford, Va. / Sport Judo)

58kg
Mark Okamura (Chicago, Ill. / Tohkon Judo Academy)

64kg
Michael Assels (Garland, Texas / Ruben Martin Judo Training Center)

+64kg
Benjamin Veler (McKinney, Texas / Becerra Judo)

Female U15
44kg
Angelica Chen (Orlando, Fla. / Central Florida Judo & Jujitsu)

58kg
Lauren Baez (Coral Gables, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)

64kg
Melissa Myers (Yorkville, Ill. / Fox Valley Judo & Jujitsu)