Diaz and Berliner Capture Silver on Second Day of Veterans Worlds

Team USA upped its two-day medal total to 19 on Tuesday as the M1 (males age 30-34) and M3 (males age 40-44) divisions took center stage at the International Judo Federation Veterans World Championships in Las Vegas. Miguel Diaz (Spring, Texas / Revolution Dojo) and Kell Berliner (Schenectady, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center) claimed silver medals and Joshua Giza (Dallas, Texas / Eastside Dojo) added a bronze medal to the U.S. haul at the halfway point of the four-day event held in the Rio Hotel and Conference Center.

Competing in the M3 81kg division, Diaz went 4-1 on the day. The 2021 world bronze medalist threw Kalidou Gatta Ba (SEN) for ippon (instant win) at the 1:47 mark of their round of 32 match. He then won back-to-back matches by hansoku-make (disqualifying penalty) over David Udzilauri (GEO) and Mihaly Makhult (HUN) to reach the semifinal round. There, Diaz threw two-time world champion Flavio Pinheiro (BRA) for ippon in the first minute of the match to advance to the gold medal final. Facing another Brazilian competitor in the final, Diaz was thrown for ippon in the opening minute by Emanoel Dos Santos (BRA) and walked away with the silver medal.

Berliner won the silver medal in the M1 90kg competition with a 3-1 record on the day. He opened with a round-of-16 victory over Marco Trinca (BRA). With the match in Golden Score (sudden death overtime), Berliner was able to pin Trinca for the victory at the 5:18 mark. Berliner also won his quarterfinal match against Richard Antoinette (FRA) by pin, this one coming 1:54 into regulation time. One win away from advancing to the final, Berliner’s match against Timur Omurbekov (KGZ) went into Golden Score with the American executing a throw for ippon to secure the win. In the final, Mardan Gadirli (AZE) scored a waza-ari (half-point) throw 18 seconds into the match and then transitioned into a choke to claim the gold medal.

IJF

After losing his opening match in the M3 +100kg division by ippon to Sebastien Godin (CAN), Giza rebounded to win three straight matches in the repechage. He began with a win by waza-ari over Drin Shkreta (ALB), then won consecutive matches by ippon throws over Julien Lebegue (FRA) in just 16 seconds, and Weligton Pereira (BRA) at the 1:11 mark. In a closely-contested bronze-medal match against Rocha Daniel (BRA), Giza scored the decisive waza-ari 2:34 into the match to claim the bronze medal.

Team USA also had three athletes who fought for bronze but finished fifth. Competition at the Veterans Worlds continues Wednesday with the M4 (ages 45-49) and M5 (ages 50-54) divisions.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 1 30-34 60kg
1. Givi Nadareishvili (GEO)
2. Federico Deiana (ITA)
3. Kairat Burbassov (KAZ)
4. Brady LaFortune (Kaneohe, Hawaii)
5. Lukas Stadler (GER)

Men’s 1 30-34 66kg
1. Nurlan Ussenov (KAZ)
2. Paata Merebashvili (GEO)
3. Renan Rossi (BRA)
3. Sergio Mansilla Garcia (NOR)
5. Xavier Valencia (ECU)
5. Aaron Fukuhara (Torrance, Calif.)
7. Justis Olsen (Discovery Bay, Calif.)
7. Tyler Blocker (Frisco, Texas / Eastside Dojo)

Men’s 1 30-34 73kg
1. Lucas Godoy (BRA)
2. Thibault Crombez (FRA)
3. Loic Ferraud (FRA)
3. Eole Picot (FRA)
5. Aymric Gasteuil (FRA)
5. Antonino Milioto (BEL)
7. Joe McCole (GBR)
7. William Schrimsher (Hartselle, Ala. / West Georgia Judo Club)
Also Competed: Gevork Yagubyan (Beverly Hills, Calif. / Glendale Judo Academy), 0-2
Erik Ashley (Marietta, Ga. / Black Ice Judo), 0-1

Men’s 1 30-34 81kg
1. Caio Brigida (BRA)
2. Stanley Torres (BRA)
3. Toanui Lucas (PYF)
3. Warren Seib (CAN)
5. Tumurkhuleg Davaadorj (MGL)
5. Frigyes Szabo (HUN)
7. David Leimgruber (SUI)
7. Antoine Hurtes (FRA)
Also Competed: Dastan Adam (Schaumburg, Ill. / Tohkon Judo Academy), 0-1
Yarik Bezkor (Birmingham, Ala. / K.O. Judo), 0-1
Emmanuel Magsino (Orlando, Fla. / Pedro’s Judo Center), 0-1
Kevin Arriola (Aurora, Ill. / Fox Valley Judo & Jujitsu Club), 0-2

Men’s 1 30-34 90kg
1. Mardan Gadirli (AZE)
2. Kell Berliner (Schenectady, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Mattheiu Adam (FRA)
3. Abdelmoumen Mokhtari (ALG)
5. Richard Antoinette (FRA)
5. Timur Omurbekov (KGZ)
7. Yusaku Takeda (Champaign, Ill. / Kokushi Midwest Judo)
7. Shane Dauphinee (CAN)
Also Competed: John Thompson (Huntersville, N.C. / Yungwirth Judo Academy, LLC), 0-1

Men’s 1 30-34 100kg
1. Milton Miranda (BRA)
2. Marcin Witkowski (POL)
3. Habib Baduy (ARG)
3. Farkhad Ruzukulov (KAZ)
5. Guilherme De Carvalho (BRA)
5. Yohann Marconnet (CAN)
7. Zaza Davadze (GEO)
7. Serdar Piriyev (The Colony, Texas / Eastside Dojo)
Also Competed: Tyler Cook (Willowick, Ohio / MaxOut Sports Judo Club), 0-1
Sean Coffman (Seattle, Wash.), 0-1
Ryoshi Nakama (Riverside, Calif. / Riverside Youth Judo Club), 0-1

Men’s 1 30-34 +100kg
1. Lasha Taveluri (GEO)
2. Nurlykhan Suiinbay (KAZ)
3. Avtandili Bogveradze (GEO)
3. Bekbolot Toktogonov (KGZ)
5. Jose Gregorio Aguilar (Woodstock, Ga. / Black Ice Judo)
5. Akzhol Medtov (KAZ)
7. Maxime Ouimet (CAN)
7. Felipe Martin (BRA)
Also Competed: Ahmed Elabbasy (Sammamish, Wash.), 0-2

Men’s 3 40-44 60kg
1. Roberto Andrea Maserin (ITA)
2. Dauren Kozhin (KAZ)
3. Justin Rashad Chin (CAN)
3. Steven Blin (FRA)
5. Philippe Bonin (CAN)
5. Sofiane Ouargui (FRA)
7. Reyn Kashiwamura (Fremont, Calif. / Silicon Valley Judo School)

Men’s 3 40-44 66kg
1. Gerard Cadet (HAI)
2. Szabolcs Sinka (HUN)
3. Eric Schillewaert (FRA)
3. Claudio Tateama (BRA)
5. Billy-Joe Baldonado (CAN)
5. Christopher Farias (Houston, Texas / Westlake Judo Club)
7. Badri Basoshvili (GEO)
7. Alexandre Pasquier (FRA)
Also Competed: Elan Adre (Portland, Ore. / Bridgetown Judo), 0-2
Joshua Rice (Las Vegas, Nev.), 0-1
Aaron Maki (Honolulu, Hawaii), 0-2

Men’s 3 40-44 73kg
1. Krzysztof Wilkomirski (POL)
2. Mustapha Boulemia (FRA)
3. Azamat Mukashov (KAZ)
3. Ivan Zaleskikh (CAN)
5. Bolat Malikov (KAZ)
5. Martial Barrot (FRA)
7. Alexandre Hedouin (FRA)
7. Itai Landsberg (Ellicott City, Md. / Sport Judo)
Also Competed: Lynn Graham (Marion, N.Y.), 1-2
Abdel Diawara (The Colony, Texas / Eastside Dojo), 0-1
Clifton Teshima (Kaneohe, Hawaii / San Diego Judo Club), 0-2
Oscar Lahoud (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Brooklyn Judo Academy), 0-1
Jordan Hambleton (San Francisco, Calif. / San Francisco Judo Institute), 1-2

Men’s 3 40-44 81kg
1. Emanoel Dos Santos (BRA)
2. Miguel Diaz (Spring, Texas / Revolution Dojo)
3. Micha Egger (SUI)
3. David Udzilauri (GEO)
5. Flavio Pinheiro (BRA)
5. Oleksandr Bubniuk (UKR)
7. Nicolas Tivant (PYF)
7. Yubisley Garcia (Tampa, Fla. / Mambi Judo Club)
Also Competed: Jessie Bishop (Killeen, Texas / MSHQ Judo), 0-1
Dustin Clocherty (Henderson, Nev.), 0-1
Eric Mina (Old Forge, Pa. / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1
Anton Karpov (Los Angeles, Calif. / Olymp Fight Club), 0-1

Men’s 3 40-44 90kg
1. Yerlan Omarov (KAZ)
2. Lasha Mikaberidze (GEO)
3. Leonardo Rocca (ITA)
3. Fabian Vanhollebeke (BEL)
5. Leandro Hanazono (BRA)
5. Murat Bakir (KAZ)
7. Raphael Sampaio (BRA)
7. Scott Steer (AUS)
Also Competed: Justin Kiyohiro (Grand Terrace, Calif. / Riverside Youth Judo Club), 1-2
Jonathon Michaud (San Mateo, Calif. / Griffin Judo), 1-2
Adrian Alonzo (Richmond, Texas / Revolution Dojo), 2-2

Men’s 3 40-44 100kg
1. Deviko Gobejishvili (GEO)
2. Otavio Ferreira (BRA)
3. Intigam Alakbarov (AZE)
3. Humberto Alonso (BRA)
5. Audacio Cambamba (ANG)
5. Safi Guilli (FRA)
7. Alzhan Zhaxybayev (KAZ)
7. Madis Karu (EST)
Also Competed: Victor Huynh (Mililani, Hawaii / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo), 0-1
Marcus Surratt (Fort Worth, Texas / Fort Worth Judo Club), 1-2
Damian O’Hara (Manahawkin, N.J. / Ares Athletic Club), 0-2

Men’s 3 40-44 +100kg
1. Ricardo Ferreira (BRA)
2. Arman Abeuov (KAZ)
3. Joshua Giza (Dallas, Texas / Eastside Dojo)
3. Davaanyam Altangerel (MGL)
5. Rocha Daniel (BRA)
5. Sebastien Godin (CAN)
7. Weligton Pereira (BRA)
7. Matias Calleja (ARG)
Also Competed: Kevin Jones (Dalton, Ga. / West Georgia Judo Club), 1-2
Michael Davis (Atlanta, Ga. / Black Ice Judo), 0-1