(Colorado Springs, CO) – Two-time Junior World medalist Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC) has been recognized as one of the sport’s standouts and a nominee for the International Judo Federation’s Rising Star Award.
Presented annually by the IJF to recognize the next generation of talent, the Rising Star Award is one of six awards judo fans can vote on from Dec. 15 – Jan. 31 at awards.ijf.org. Votes can be cast every 24 hours, so fans are encouraged to vote often!
Yonezuka made history in 2023 when he won silver at the Junior World Championships in the 73 kg division, becoming the first U.S. man to win two medals at the event after his bronze medal finish in 2022. A top contender for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, 20-year-old Yonezuka finished the 2023 season ranked No. 2 in the world as a junior and No. 15 in the Olympic Rankings as one of just two men age 20 and younger to be ranked in the top 15 against senior competitors.
The son of 1980 Olympian Nick Yonezuka and grandson of two-time Olympic coach Yoshisada Yonezuka, Jack earned three senior international medals this season and earned one of the best results for a U.S. man on the World Tour in seven years with a fifth-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam.
The Rising Star nominees are as follows:
- Jack Yonezuka (USA)
- Blandine Pont (FRA)
- Dota Arai (JPN)
- Joanne Van Lieshout (NED)
- Veronica Toniolo (ITA)
The last three Rising Star award winners have gone on to great success and each are currently ranked No. 1 in the world in their respective divisions. In 2022, Assunta Scutto (ITA) won the Rising Star award and went on to claim three Grand Slam titles, bronze at both the Senior Worlds and Masters in 2023 at 48 kg. The 2021 Rising Star winner, Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO), went on to win the 2022 Masters and the 2019-20 winner, Tato Grigalashvili (GEO), won medals at the last three Senior Worlds, including back-to-back golds in 2022 and 2023.
Additional award categories include:
2023 WJT Ippon of the Year
- Goz (HUN) Yoko-Gake – Antalya
- Bobonov (UZB) Sasae-Tsurikomi-Ashi – Tashkent
- Chouchi (BEL) Tai-Otoshi – Tel Aviv
- Abe Uta (JPN) Koshi-Guruma – Worlds
- Bozkurt (TUR) O-Soto-Otoshi – Worlds
2023 Male Athlete of the Year
- Fran Garrigos (ESP)
- Tato Grigalashvili (GEO)
- Nils Stump (SUI)
- Abe Hifumi (JPN)
- Luka Maisuradze (GEO)
2023 Female Athlete of the Year
- Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN)
- Abe Uta (JPN)
- Christa Deguchi (CAN)
- Inbar Lanir (ISR)
- Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)
2023 Moment of the Year
- Japanese children gripping up with their superstar heroes
- The spectacular world mixed team final going right to the golden score decider.
- Three gold medals for the host nation for Tajikistan’s World Judo Tour debut.
- Martii Puumalainen (FIN) becomes Masters Champion
- Four million unique users on the IJF Minecraft platform
Coaching Achievement of the Year
- Japanese Coaching Team – Japanese Women win 4/7 World golds
- Rok Draksic – Martii Puumalainen’s incredible year
- Georgian Coaching Team – First all-Georgian World and Masters final
- Canadian Coaching Team – Deguchi and Klimkait, success and rivalry
- Laura Alejandra Martinel – Receiving IOC coaching lifetime achievement award
Judo for Children
- Azerbaijan Judo Federation – White Suite Girls project
- Hiro – Ruben Houkes project in the Netherlands
- Nicaragua Judo Federation – Judo in Schools Nicaragua
- Lebanese Judo Federation – Lebanon Judo in Schools Program
- Kodokan & All Japan Judo Federation – The Minecraft project
Judo for Peace
- Judo for Peace South Africa – Full programme against xenophobia
- Judo for Peace Kenya – New initiative in Kakuma refugee camp
- Judo for Peace in Turkiye – Aftermath of the earthquake
- IJF Refugee Team – Their participation in the World Championships and WJT
- Judo for Peace in Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe – Transborder programme
