(Colorado Springs, CO) – Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC) earned the top finish for Team USA at the Portugal Grand Prix over the weekend, advancing to the round of 16 in the men’s 73 kg division at the Olympic qualifier in Odivelas.
2024 Portugal Grand Prix Results
The two-time Junior World Team medalist and Paris Olympic hopeful finished the tournament with a 2-1 record in a field of 57 athletes.
In the opening round, the 2023 IJF Rising Star Award nominee took on World No. 16 Maxime Gobert (FRA) – a 2021 Junior World medalist who went on to win three Grand Slam medals during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Yonezuka used his newaza skills to dominate the match, pinning Gobert for a waza-ari in the opening minute. During the next exchange, Yonezuka took Gobert to the ground again for a second pin to close the match in just over 90 seconds.
Yonezuka advanced to the round of 32 where he made quick work of Mahamadsharif Najmudinov (TJK) – pinning Najmudinov in the opening minute.
Yonezuka’s run came to an end in the round of 16, however, when he was thrown for a pair of waza-aris by Chol Gwang Kim (PRK).
Fighting at her first European Grand Prix, 2023 Pan Am Games Team member Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, VA / Sport Judo) earned a top-32 result in the 70 kg division.
Alamin trailed eight-time Grand Prix medalist Assmaa Niang (MAR) by two penalties before throwing Niang for a pair of waza-ari scores in the second and third minute.
In the round of 32, Alamin drew two-time Senior World Champion Barbara Matic (CRO) who threw the American for ippon en route to winning her fifth career Grand Prix title.
Team USA will return to competition at the Paris Grand Slam from Feb. 2-4 where 14 athletes will vie for points at the next Olympic qualifier.
Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:
Men’s 60 kg
1. Dilshodbek Baratov (UZB)
2. Michel Augusto (BRA)
3. Turan Bayramov (AZE)
3. Yung Wei Yang (TPE)
5. Gamzat Zairbekov (AIN)
5. Youssry Samy (EGY)
7. Yam Wolczak (ISR)
7. Balabay Aghayev (AZE)
Also Competed: David Terao (Fairfax, VA), 0-1
Women’s 48 kg
1. Hikari Yoshioka (JPN)
2. Kano Miyaki (JPN)
3. Abiba Abuzhakynova (KAZ)
3. Narantsetseg Ganbaatar (MGL)
5. Sila Ersin (TUR)
5. Su Song Jon (PRK)
7. Lois Petit (BEL)
7. Andrea Stojadinov (SRB)
Also Competed: Maria Laborde (Kenosha, WI / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 66 kg
1. Yago Abuladze (AIN)
2. Yashar Najafov (AZE)
3. Shinsei Hattori (JPN)
3. Kamran Suleymanov (AZE)
5. Strahinja Buncic (SRB)
5. Baskhuu Yondonperenlei (MGL)
7. Baul An (KOR)
7. Erkhembayar Battogtokh (MGL)
Also Competed: Ari Berliner (Schenectady, NY / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center0, 0-1
Women’s 52 kg
1. Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB)
2. Reka Pupp (HUN)
3. Mascha Ballhaus (GER)
3. Glafira Borisova (AIN)
5. Yerin Jung (KOR)
5. Seyun Jang (KOR)
7. Roza Gyertyas (HUN)
7. Sita Kadamboeva (UZB)
Men’s 73 kg
1. Danil Lavrentev (AIN)
2. Salvador Cases Roca (ESP)
3. Ryuga Tanaka (JPN)
3. Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (AIN)
5. Chol Gwang Kim (PRK)
5. Obidkhon Nomanov (UZB)
7. Alexandru Raicu (ROU)
7. Tohar Butbul (ISR)
Also Competed: Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC), 2-1
Women’s 57 kg
1. Mimi Huh (KOR)
2. Daria Kurbonmamadova (AIN)
3. Seija Ballhaus (GER)
3. Ayami Takano (JPN)
5. Ophelie Vellozzi (FRA)
5. Timna Nelson Levy (ISR)
7. Jasmine Martin (RSA)
7. Pauline Starke (GER)
Also Competed: Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, TX / Universal Judo), 0-1
Men’s 81 kg
1. Yoshito Hojo (JPN)
2. Vedat Albayrak (TUR)
3. Saeid Mollaei (AZE)
3. Joonhwan Lee (KOR)
5. Nurbek Murtozoev (UZB)
5. Naoto Izawa (JPN)
7. Khasan Khalmurzaev (AIN)
7. Aurelien Bonferroni (SUI)
Also Competed: Kell Berliner (Schenectady, NY / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center), 1-1
Women’s 63 kg
1. Lucy Renshall (GBR)
2. Katharina Haecker (AUS)
3. Inbal Shemesh (ISR)
3. Szofi Ozbas (HUN)
5. Eter Askilashvili (GEO)
5. Barbara Timo (POR)
7. Dena Pohl (GER)
7. Gankhaich Bold (MGL)
Also Competed: Sara Golden (Crystal Lake, IL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 90 kg
1. Mihael Zgank (TUR)
2. Klen Kristofer Kaljulaid (EST)
3. Mark Van Dijk (NED)
3. Eljan Hajiyev (AZE)
5. Donghan Gwak (KOR)
5. Guy Gurevetich (ISR)
7. Max Laborde (FRA)
7. Krisztian Toth (HUN)
Also Competed: Alex Knauf (Vernon Hills, IL / NYAC / Cohen Brothers Judo), 0-1
Davit Aghasaryan (Sunland, CA / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo), 0-1
Women’s 70 kg
1. Barbara Matic (CRO)
2. Gulnoza Matniyazova (UZB)
3. Riho Saiganji (JPN)
3. Miriam Butkereit (GER)
5. Aoife Coughlan (AUS)
5. Kelly Petersen Pollard (GBR)
7. Sanne Vermeer (NED)
7. Lucie Jarrot (FRA)
Also Competed: Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, VA / Sport Judo), 1-1
Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, NY / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1
Men’s 100 kg
1. Matvey Kanikovskiy (AIN)
2. Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP)
3. Rafael Buzacarini (BRA)
3. Gonchigsuren Batkhuyag (MGL)
5. Bojan Dosen (SRB)
5. Kaito Green (JPN)
7. Asley Gonzalez (ROU)
7. Georgios Kroussaniotakis (CYP)
Also Competed: Nate Keeve (San Rafael, CA / New York Athletic Club), 0-1
Women’s 78 kg
1. Anna Monta Olek (GER)
2. Metka Lobnik (SLO)
3. Petrunjela Pavic (CRO)
3. Chloe Buttigieg (FRA)
5. Jeongyun Lee (KOR)
5. Karla Prodan (CRO)
7. Emma Reid (GBR)
7. Yael Van Heemst (NED)
Men’s +100 kg
1. Inal Tasoev (AIN)
2. Minjong Kim (KOR)
3. Kanta Nakano (JPN)
3. Tamerlan Bashaev (AIN)
5. Ibrahim Tataroglu (TUR)
5. Magomedomar Magomedomarov (UAE)
7. Shokhrukhkhon Bakhtiyorov (UZB)
7. Rafael Silva (BRA)
Women’s +78 kg
1. Hilal Ozturk (TUR)
2. Miki Mukunoki (JPN)
3. Kinga Wolszczak (POL)
3. Coralie Hayme (FRA)
5. Sonia Asselah (ALG)
5. Hayun Kim (KOR)
7. Giovanna Santos (BRA)
7. Sydnee Andrews (NZL)
