Olympic Qualification Points on the Line at World Judo Masters this Weekend
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by Nicole Jomantas
(Colorado Springs, CO) – The stakes will be high this weekend in Budapest, Hungary as four members of Team USA compete at the World Judo Masters from Friday through Sunday.
The tournament features the best athlete in the world with invitations being extended to the top 36 athletes in each weight category. The Masters offers 1,800 World Ranking points to each gold medalist – only 10% less than the World Championships (2,000) and nearly double the points available at a Grand Slam (1,000).
2023 World Masters Live Stream and Results
Four members of Team USA were awarded slots in the prestigious tournament and are looking to bolster their positions on the Olympic Ranking List with just under a year remaining before the Paris Games.
Maria Laborde (Kenosha, WI / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) earned the top finish for Team USA at the 2022 World Masters, placing seventh in the 48 kg division. The two-time Senior World medalist for Cuba who began representing Team USA last year, won gold at the Perth Grand Prix in November and finished fifth at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam earlier this year. Laborde has defeated several of the top-10 athletes in the world and is aiming to qualify for her first Olympic Games in 2024.
Two-time Olympian Angelica Delgado (Miami, FL / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) is making her sixth appearance at the World Masters in the 52 kg division. Ranked 24th in the world, Delgado is a three-time Grand Slam medalist who won bronze at the Hungary Grand Slam in Budapest last summer and bronze at the Perth Grand Prix.
A four-time Senior World Team member, Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo) is fighting at her second World Masters this weekend in the 57 kg category. Team USA’s youngest member at 23 years old, Holguin won bronze at both the Perth Grand Prix and the Senior Pan American Championships last year and is entering the
Laborde, Delgado and Holguin spent the three weeks leading up to the World Masters in Japan training in preparation for the event as they prepare to take on the best in the world.
Living and training in Europe, 2022 Senior Pan Am bronze medalist John Jayne (Chicago, IL) won silver in his final tuneup for the World Masters. Jayne earned his third career European Open medal in Tallinn, Estonia. A three-time Senior World Team member at 90 kg, Jayne made his Masters debut last year.
Competition schedule is as follows:
Friday, Aug. 4
Women’s 48 kg, 52 kg, 57 kg
Men’s 60 kg, 66 kg
Saturday, Aug. 5
Women’s 63 kg, 70 kg
Men’s 73 kg, 81 kg
Sunday, Aug. 6
Women’s 78 kg, +78 kg
Men’s 90 kg, 100 kg, +100 kg
