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Twenty-Two Nations Scheduled to Compete at Pan Ams, Final Olympic Qualifier in Miami This Week
By Nicole Jomantas // USA Judo // May 7, 2008
(Miami, Fla.) As delegations began arriving at the 2008 Pan American Championships on Tuesday, anticipation was in the air as at least 22 countries have registered to compete in the final qualifying tournament for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The Pan Am Championships and Olympic Zone Cup will be held May 8-11 at the James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami, FL 33131.
Among the more than 200 athletes expected to compete are the following past Pan American Champions:
Maria Velazquez (VEN / 44kg), 2007 Pan Am Champion
Yanet Bermoy (CUB / 48kg), 2005 World Champion and 2007 World silver medalist
Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen / 57kg), two-time Pan Am Champion
Yurisleidys Lupetey (CUB / 57kg), 2001 World Champion and 2004 Olympic medalist
Driulis Gonzalez (CUB / 63kg), three-time World Champion and four-time Olympic medalist
Daniela Krukower (ARG / 63kg), 2003 World Champion
Marie-Helene Chisholm (CAN / 63kg), 2005 World Championships and 2004 Olympic Games fifth-place finisher
Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE / 70kg), 2007 World silver medalist
Yuri Alvear (COL / 70kg), 2007 Pan Am Champion
Edinanci Silva (BRA / 78kg), two-time World bronze medalist
Yurisel Laborde (CUB / 78kg), two-time World Champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist
Vanessa Zambotti (MEX / +78kg), three-time Pan Am Champion
Idalis Ortiz (CUB / +78kg), fifth-place finisher at the 2007 World Championships in the Open division
Frazer Will (CAN / 60kg), 2006 and 2007 Pan Am Champion
Yordanis Arencibia (CUB / 66kg), four-time World and 2004 Olympic medalist
Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 73kg), three-time World Cup medalist
Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center / 81kg), 2007 Pan Am Games Champion
Oscar Cardenas (CUB / 81kg), 2007 Pan Am Champion
Tiago Camilo (BRA / 81kg), 2007 World Champion
Oreydis Despaigne (CUB / 100kg), 2007 World bronze medalist
Oscar Brayson (CUB / +100kg), five-time World Cup medalist.
Athletes are scheduled to compete from the following countries:
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Netherland Antilles
Nicaragua
Mexico
Peru
Puerto Rico
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
Competition schedule is as follows:
Thursday May 8
Mens 81kg, 90kg, 100kg and +100kg
Womens 63kg, 70kg, 78kg and +78kg
10 a.m. Preliminary Competition
6 p.m. Opening Ceremonies, Gold and Bronze Medal Finals
Friday May 9
Mens 55kg, 60kg, 66kg, 73kg and Open
Womens 44kg, 48kg, 52kg, 57kg and Open
10 a.m. Preliminary Competition
5 p.m. Gold and Bronze Medal Finals
Saturday May 10
9 - 11 a.m. Kata Competition
3 p.m. Team Competition
Sunday May 11
10 a.m. Olympic Zone Cup
(All Divisions)
For more information, or to request a credential, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at 719.271.9937 (cell) or Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.
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