Team USA Wins Seven Individual Medals at Pan Am U15 Championships

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Team USA won two silver and five bronze individual medals on Saturday at the Pan American U15 Championships in Lima, Peru.

A pair of 2023 Junior Olympic Champions each followed their titles in Shreveport last month with silver medals in Lima. Twelve-year-old Chrystal Monthe Noussi (Fort Worth, TX / Fort Worth Judo) and 13-year-old Daniel Gonzalez (Schaumburg, IL / European Judo Academy) finished second in the women’s and men’s 58 kg divisions, respectively.

Monthe returned to the Pan Ams to win her third straight medal after taking gold at +52 kg in 2022 and silver at 52 kg in 2021 in the U13 event. Aging up to U15 this year, Monthe threw Catalina Sepulveda (CHI) for a quick ippon (instant win) in the quarter-finals and pinned Tiffany Onohara (BRA) in Golden Score of the semifinals. Fighting for gold, Monthe and Manuela Maia (BRA) were both scoreless in regulation with Monthe holding two penalties to Maia’s one. In Golden Score, Monthe was given another penalty to finish with a silver medal.

Gonzalez threw Jose Raurau (PER) for a waza-ari score and followed with a throw for ippon in the opening round. He went on to throw Luiz Coelho (BRA) in the final 15 seconds of the quarter-finals to score the waza-ari he would need to advance to the medal rounds. In the semifinals, Gonzalez and Henrique Bahinese (BRA) fought for the duration of regulation without a score, but Gonzalez attacked quickly in Golden Score, throwing the Brazilian off the grip for a waza-ari to win the match. In the finals, Rafael Garcia (MEX) threw Gonzalez for a waza-ari late in the second minute. Gonzalez was unable to score during the final minute and Garcia took the gold.

A two-time medalist at the U13 Pan Ams, 13-year-old Nur Azametli (Sandy, Utah / USA Stars) won bronze at 44 kg in her first year after aging up. Azametli threw her first opponent, Ashley Valdiviezo (ECU), for ippon in the second minute, but dropped her next match to against eventual gold medalist Jessica Oliveira (BRA) by three penalties to two. After a win on penalties in the repechage over Dulce Rivera (ECU), Azametli came up against her teammate, 13-year-old Amaris Bell (Pembroke Pines, FL / Budokan Judo), who stood on the U13 42 kg podium with Azametli last year, winning silver.   

Four first-time Pan Am U15 Team members each won bronze in Lima.

Thirteen-year-old Dmitry Kondratev (Brooklyn, NY / Darfight) fought his way through the repechage to earn bronze in the men’s 44 kg category. The thirteen-year-old battled Gabriel Jara (ECU) for three minutes of regulation and nearly another minute of Golden Score before being thrown for ippon. In the repechage, Kondratev threw Guillermo Carrizo (CHI) for a waza-ari in the opening minute. In the next match, he pinned Roman Teplitskiy (CAN) for ippon late in the second minute. Kondratev went on to reach the podium with a win on penalties over Benjamin Burnside (PER) in the bronze medal final.

Tatum Park (Torrance, CA / Harbor Judo Dojo) threw Fernanda Gonzalez (MEX) for a waza-ari in the final 10 seconds of the 48 kg quarter-finals, but narrowly missed fighting for gold after a semifinal loss on penalties in Golden Score to Lavinia Igaki (BRA). In the bronze medal final, the 14-year-old threw Scarleth Sanchez (ECU) for a waza-ari and pinned her for ippon.

Fourteen-year-old Aubrey Genereux (Port Saint Lucie, FL / Suncoast Warriors Judo Team) secured bronze in the 53 kg category. Genereux came back from a quarter-final loss by a late waza-ari to Thauanny Silva (BRA) to win her next two matches and a position on the podium. In her first repechage match, Genereux took Jimena Morales (CRC) to the ground during the first exchange and pinned her for ippon. Fighting for bronze, Genereux threw Domenica Lozada (ECU) for ippon in the final minute.

Fourteen-year-old Damian Padron (Lehigh Acres, FL / Chief Pride Judo) threw his first opponent in the 64 kg division twice in just 16 seconds – first for a waza-ari and then for ippon. Padron scored a waza-ari against Alberto Zamora (MEX) in the second minute of the quarter-finals, but was thrown for a waza-ari in the opening minute of his semifinal match against eventual gold medalist Yago Mello (BRA).

On Sunday, Team USA’s athletes won gold and bronze in the mixed team event which allowed athletes from multiple countries to compete together. Competing under Rio 2016, Park and Monthe Noussi won gold with teammates Sebastian Teran (Pompano Beach, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), Skylor Chan (Bellevue, WA / Washington Judo Academy), Nicholas Zadvinskiy (Staten Island, NY / Cranford JKC), Samuel Abdelmalak (Punta Gorda, FL / Chief Pride Judo) and Alessia Quinto (Katy, TX / Westlake Judo).

Four members of Team USA competed with two members of Team Mexico under the name Los Angeles 1984 to take bronze. Brayden Leson (Seal Beach, CA / Los Angeles Tenri), Alexander Shvartsman (Deerfield, IL / Cohen Brothers), Maxim Latman (Brooklyn, NY / Darfight) and Marcus Parks (Dallas, TX / Eastside Dojo) stood on the podium with Dayana Rodriguez (MEX) and Valentina Padron (MEX).

Top eight and U.S. results from the individual event are as follows:

U15 Men’s 36 kg
1. Emiliano Garcia (ECU)
2. Robert Delgado (ECU)
3. Kevin Dominguez (ECU)
3. Kevin Villegas (MEX)

Also Competed: Brayden LeSon (Seal Beach, CA / Los Angeles Tenri), 0-4

U15 Men’s 40 kg
1. Arthur De Melo (BRA)
2. Maycon Araujo (BRA)
3. Angel Cedeno (ECU)
3. Mateo Guerrero (ECU)
5. Jahir Allauca (ECU)
5. Lucas Escobar (CHI)
7. Angel Coaquera (PER)
7. Mateo Reategui (PER)

Also Competed: Samuel Abdelmalak (Punta Gorda, FL / Chief Pride Judo), 0-1

U15 Men’s 44 kg
1. Jared Lopez (ECU)
2. Mateo Naranjo (ECU)
3. Gabriel Jara (ECU)
3. Dmitry Kondratev (Brooklyn, NY / Darfight)
5. Benjamin Bernside (PER)
5. Eithan Chacon (CRC)
7. Gillermo Carrizo (CHI)
7. Roman Semyrozum (CAN)

U15 Men’s 48 kg
1. Stiven Alvarez (ECU)
2. Gabriel Franca (BRA)
3. Juan Soriano (ECU)
3. Kaua Yonaha (BRA)
5. Rommel Mullo (ECU)
5. Sebastian Teran (Pompano Beach, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
7. Arath Cruzalta (MEX)
7. Stefano Vera (ECU)

Also Competed: Alexander Shvartsman (Deerfield, IL / Cohen Brothers), 0-1

U15 Men’s 53 kg
1. Andre Dodero (BRA)
2. Omar Campos (ECU)
3. Bruno De Freitas (BRA)
3. Jonathan Largo (ECU)
5. Engel Juela (ECU)
5. Maxim Latman (Brooklyn, NY / Darfight)
7. Mairom Campos (PER)
7. Davit Kachachyan (North Hollywood, FL / LA Judo Club)

Also Competed: James Clark (Potomac, MD / Sport Judo), 0-1

U15 Men’s 58 kg
1 Rafael Garcia (MEX)
2. Daniel Gonzalez (Schaumburg, IL / European Judo Academy)
3. Henrique Banhiense (BRA)
3. Luiz Coelho (BRA)
5. Matheus Aramaki (BRA)
5. Mathias Zamora (ECU)
7. Abraham Olmos (MEX)
7. Francisco Rodriguez (MEX)

Also Competed: Skylor Chan (Bellevue, WA / Washington Judo Academy), 1-2

U15 Men’s 64 kg
1. Yago Mello (BRA)
2. Matthew Molchanov (CAN)
3. Abdel Lozada (MEX)
3. Damian Padron (Lehigh Acres, FL / Chief Pride Judo)
5. Atkir Perez (PUR)
5. Emelyan Sokolov (CAN)
7. Emerson Vega (ECU)
7. Alberto Zamora (MEX)

Also Competed: Armen Khayalyan (Panorama City, CA / Hayastan Judo), 0-1

U15 Men’s +64 kg
1. Ramon Hsieh (BRA)
2. Marcus Rosa (BRA)
3. Victor Da Silva (BRA)
3. Arthur Marques (BRA)
5. Arthur Nardi (BRA)
5. Luiz Xavier (BRA)
7. Jose Palacios (ECU)
7. Marcus Parks (Dallas, TX / Eastside Dojo)

Also Competed: Nicholas Zadvinskiy (Staten Island, NY / Cranford JKC), 0-2

U15 Women’s 36 kg
1. Jeissiara Gomes (BRA)
2. Alessia Sheridan (BRA)
3. Jordana Bustamante (ECU)
3. Sofia Mena (ECU)
5. Carmen Bustos (MEX)
5. Mikaela Cushquicushma (ECU)

U15 Women’s 40 kg
1. Maurely Lozano (ECU)
2. Jordana Espin (ECU)
3. Andrea Castro (ECU)
3. Sarah Resende (BRA)
5. Ashlee Lopez (PER)
5. Heloisa Trondoli (BRA)
7. Dominique Barra (CHI)

U15 Women’s 44 kg
1. Jessica Oliveira (BRA)
2. Maria Llivisaca (ECU)
3. Nur Azametli (Sandy Utah / USA Stars)
3. Dayana Rodriguez (MEX)
5. Amaris Bell (Pembroke Pines, FL / Budokan Judo)
5. Nahomi Rivera (MEX)
7. Dulce Rivera (ECU)
7. Jolianyz Zabala (PUR)

U15 Women’s 48 kg
1. Renata Vasquez (ECU)
2. Lavinia Igaki (BRA)
3. Tatum Park (Torrance, CA / Harbor Judo Dojo)
3. Yasmin Venancio (BRA)
5. Sheyla Moran (ECU)
5. Scarleth Sanchez (ECU)
7. Fernanda Gonzalez (MEX)
7. Valeria Vasquez (CRC)

U15 Women’s 53 kg
1. Gabriela Santos (BRA)
2. Maria Resende (BRA)
3. Aubrey Genereux (Port Saint Lucie, FL / Suncoast Warriors Judo Team)
3. Thauanny Silva (BRA)
5. Jazmin Lopez (MEX)
5. Domenica Lozada (ECU)
7. Jimena Morales (CRC)
7. Maria Muniz (MEX)

U15 Women’s 58 kg
1. Manuela Maia (BRA)
2. Chrystal Monthe Noussi (Fort Worth, TX / Fort Worth Judo)
3. Leonela Arevalo (ECU)
3. Tiffany Onohara (BRA)
5. Carolina Garza (MEX)
5. Prizzila Lam (PER)
7. Alondra Quijano (PUR)
7. Catalina Sepulveda (CHI)

U15 Women’s 64 kg
1. Monique Silva (BRA)
2. Livia Cunha (BRA)
3. Genesis Ahuanari (PER)
3. Martina Jorquera (CHI)
5. Kaela Huamani (PER)
5. Alessia Quinto (Katy, TX / Westlake Judo)

U15 Women’s +64 kg
1. Clarisse Vallim (BRA)
2. Briana Sanchez (MEX)
3. Linda Correa (BRA)
3. Leticia Pereira (BRA)
5. Adriana Eugenio (PER)
5. Brisley Ordonez (ECU)