With just over a year and a half of experience under his belt, De Wall was a rookie on a U.S. Team that included a Paralympic Champion and several World Team veterans.

The World Championships were the first opportunity for countries to qualify the ability to send a representative to the Paralympic Games in Beijing and the men needed fifth-place finishes while the women needed to earn a medal.

After a first-round bye, De Wall won his next two matches over Elmo Vaz (BRA) and Dominik Zilian (GER) to advanced to the semifinal against 2004 Paralympic Champion Ilham Zakiyev (AZE).  Although he fought well, De Wall lost the match to the eventual champion and moved down to fight for bronze.

De Wall’s next match against Khali Guerfa (ALG) was a hotly contested one, but Guerfa produced the win and De Wall finished fifth. 

LisaMaria Martinez (Union City, Calif.) also placed fifth after fighting for bronze in the 70kg division.

Martinez beat Bouazoug Zoubida (ALG) to advance to the semifinal where she lost to Carmen Harrera (ESP), the reigning Paralympic Champion.

In the bronze medal match, Martinez lost to Sanneke Vermeulen (NED) to place fifth.

A fifth-place finisher at the 2006 World Championships, Myles Porter (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) came to Sao Paulo to win his first international medal, but went 2-2 to place seventh in the 100kg division.

Porter defeated Hector Espinosa (VEN) in the first round, but lost to Haruka Hirose (JPN) in the quarter-finals.

In the repechage, Porter armbarred Markus Upmann (GER), but lost his next match to Gerald Rollo (FRA). 

Andre Watson (Upper Darby, Pa. / Liberty Bell Judo) placed ninth in the 90kg division at his second World Championships. 

Watson threw his first opponent, Yusuke Hatsuse (JPN) for ippon, but lost in the quarter-finals to Mammadov Tofig (AZE).

Watson started off his next match well in the repechage, leading against 2004 Paralympic Champion Messaoud Nine (ALG), but ultimately lost the match to finish ninth overall.

Complete results are as follows:

Women’s 70kg

1. Carmen Herrera (ESP)
2. Lenia Rubalcava (MEX)
3. Tatiana Savostianova (RUS)
3. Sanneke Vermeulen (NED)
5. Nikolett Szabo (HUN)
5. LisaMaria Martinez (Union City, Calif.)

Men’s 90kg

1. Oleg Kretsul (RUS)
2. Samuel Ingram (GBR)
3. Messaoud Nine (ALG)
3. Mammadov Tofig (AZE)
5. Olivier Cugnon (FRA)
5. Anatoliy Shevchenko (UKR)
Also Competed: Andre Watson (Upper Darby, Pa. / Liberty Bell Judo), 1-2

Men’s 100kg

1. Ahmed Kebaili (ALG)
2. Juan Carlos Cortada (CUB)
3. Ian Rose (GBR)
3. Antonio Silva (BRA)
5. Gerald Rollo (FRA)
5. Haruka Hirose (JPN)

Also Competed: Myles Porter (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center), 2-2

Men’s +100kg

1. Ilham Zakiyev (AZE)
2. Yangaliny Jimenez (CUB)
3. Theoklitos Papachristos (GRE)
3. Khali Guerfa (ALG)
5. Wang Song (CHN)
5. Greg De Wall (Chico, Calif.)