Ten-Medal Haul for U.S. Juniors at Pan Am-Oceania Championships
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by Bill Kellick
(Colorado Springs, CO) – Team USA won four silver medals and six bronze medals at the Junior Pan Am-Oceania Championships in Lima, Peru, on Saturday.
The U.S. team finished fourth in the standings behind Brazil, Cuba and Ecuador.
Two divisions saw two U.S. athletes on the podium together.
In the men's 66 kg division, Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center) and Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / LA Judo Club) won silver and bronze. Sheynfeld captured his first junior Pan Am medal while Yang took home bronze for the third straight year.
Sheynfeld won his first match by ippon (instant win) over Yang Lama (ECU) then defeated teammate Yang by yuko (quarter-point) in the quarterfinals and Fabricio Meyer (CHI) by ippon in the semis. In the finals, however, Sheynfeld lost on two waza-aris (half-point) by world #8 Bruno Nobrega (BRA). A 2022 cadet bronze medalist, Jacob Yang won his third straight bronze medal in the junior event after scoring two waza-aris against Xavion Johnson (BAH) in the bronze-medal contest. After losing to Sheynfeld in the quarterfinals, Yang made the medal round thanks to repechage victories over Lama and Mateo Condor (PER).
Christopher Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) and Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / LA Judo Club) represented Team USA on the men's 60 kg podium, winning silver and bronze medals, respectively. A three-time cadet champion and reigning junior champion in the event, Velazco defeated Angel Hernandez Solon (GUA) by ippon, Vincent Nepton (CAN) by waza-ari and Eduardo Sagastegui (MEX) by yuko to reach the final. He lost by ippon in the final to Jhonathan Benevides (ECU).
The reigning cadet world champion and returning bronze medalist from last year's Pan Am-Oceania Championships, Jonathan Yang scored a win by ippon over Darwin Josue Hernandez (COL) and defeated Galo Villavicencio (ARG) by penalties to reach the semifinal round. He lost by ippon to Benevides but rebounded to win the bronze medal with another ippon victory over Yoel Hernandez (CUB).
Returning gold medalist Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Nakano Judo Academy) once again reached the final of the men's 90 kg competition where he lost by waza-ari to Jesse Barbosa (BRA). Nyzhnyk advanced to the final via wins over Tomas Quinteros (ARG) in the quarterfinals and Naysdel Cardoso (CUB) in the semifinals.
No stranger to the podium at the Pan Am-Oceania Championships, Shavon Gonzalez (West Palm Beach, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) won her seventh career medal on Saturday, a silver in the women's 70 kg division. Gonzalez is a three-time cadet medalist (including two gold) and had won three straight junior bronze medals entering this year's event. She reached Saturday's final by scoring wins by ippon over Missy Jen Dorval Mbele (CAN) in the round of 16, by yuko over Carolina Marcon (BRA) in the quarterfinals, and by waza-ari over Yamileth Juarez Loya (MEX) in the semifinals. In a tightly contested final against Maria Eduarda Oliveira (BRA), Oliveira was able to score the only point of the match, a yuko, to take the title.
A junior champion in 2024 and silver medalist the prior year, Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / Colton Brown Training Center) rounded out his collection with a bronze medal in the men's 100 kg event in Lima. Liubimovski defeated Franck David Moussima Ewane Elouti (CAN) in the quarterfinals with two waza-ari throws. After losing by yuko in the semifinals to eventual gold medalist Zail Ramirez (CUB), Liubimovski rebounded with a win by ippon in the bronze medal match against Marko Figueroa (CHI).
Anthony Farnot (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) is a two-time cadet gold medalist and returned to the podium as a junior this year, winning bronze in the men's 73 kg. After losing his opening round by penalties to Matheus Nolasco (BRA), Farnot battled back through the repechage with back-to-back ippon victories over Rafael Ramirez (MEX) and Jon Kuan Fleitas (CUB) to reach the medal round. He capped off his day with another win by ippon over Lowan Le Bris (CAN) to claim the bronze.
A gold medalist in the cadet competition last year, Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, Pa. / Yawara Force) notched a junior bronze medal in the men's 81 kg action on Saturday. Shulgin fought close matches throughout the day, winning by yuko in the quarterfinals against Alem Yuma (ARG) and then losing by yuko to Arthur Karpukov (CAN) in the semifinals. He regrouped to score two waza-aris on Alexander Cesar (CUB) to claim bronze.
Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, Calif. / San Gabriel Judo Dojo), a three-time cadet silver medalist, earned a bronze medal in her junior debut. Losing by ippon to Laura Vasquez (ECU) in her opening match, Manibog advanced through the repechage with a waza-ari victory over Victoria Perez (ARG) and a win by ippon over Yunaisy Roque Flebes (CUB). She then scored two yukos on Yainet Coronado (CUB) to win the bronze medal in the women's 48 kg competition.
Top eight and U.S. junior results are as follows:
Men’s 60 kg
1. Jhonathan Benavides (ECU)
2. Christopher Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
3. Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / LA Judo Club)
3. Galo Villavicencio (ARG)
5. Yoel Hernandez (CUB)
5. Eduardo Sagastegui (MEX)
7. Vincent Nepton (CAN)
7. Joao Pedro Silva (BRA)
Women’s 48 kg
1. Mariana Nunes (BRA)
2. Rika Hirose (AUS0
3. Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, Calif. / San Gabriel Judo Dojo)
3. Laura Vasquez (ECU)
5. Yainet Coronado (CUB)
5. Maria Valencia (CHI)
7. Yunaisy Roque Flebes (CUB)
7. Noelia Paz (BOL)
Men’s 66 kg
1. Bruno Nobrega (BRA)
2. Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center)
3. Fabricio Meyer (CHI)
3. Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / LA Judo Club)
5. Daniil Kremerman (CAN)
5. Xavion Johnson (BAH)
7. Tobias Vidal (ARG)
7. Mateo Condor (PER)
Women’s 52 kg
1. Nicole Marques (BRA)
2. Callie Bannister (AUS)
3. Leomaris Ruiz (VEN)
3. Wendy Golu (COL)
5. Valentina Alamo (ARG0
5. Dali Sentmanat Despaigne (CUB)
7. Samantha Josefa (DOM)
7. Driulys Rivas (PER)
Also Competed: Harlee Hiller (Evansville, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo), 1-1; Aubrey Genereux (Port Saint Lucie, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 73 kg
1. Alfredo Valdivieso (ECU)
2. Matheus Nolasco (BRA)
3. Jose Gonzalez (ECU)
3. Anthony Farnot (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
5. Tomas Hernandez (CHI)
5. Lowan Le Bris (CAN)
7. Keiner Sanchez Garnica (COL)
7. Jon Kuan Fleitas (CUB)
Women’s 57 kg
1. Bianca Reis (BRA)
2. Gyovanna Andrade (BRA)
3. Audreys Pacheco (VEN)
3. Mayra Solis (COL)
5. Laurence Gagnon (CAN)
5. Constanza Nunez (ARG)
7. Maya Aubert Gomez (ESA)
7. Carla Van Zyl (CAN)
Also Competed: Danielle Pekler (Prairie View, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo), 1-2
Men’s 81 kg
1. Enzo Trombini (BRA)
2. Arthur Karpukov (CAN)
3. Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, Pa. / Yawara Force)
3. Luis Pariche (VEN)
5. Alexander Cesar (CUB)
5. Benjamin Galarreta (PER)
7. Alem Yuma (ARG)
Women’s 63 kg
1. Eduarda Bastos (BRA)
2. Ivette Fuentes (VEN)
3. Noilyn Aguilar Bravo (CRC)
3. Loika Robertson (CAN)
5. Maria Cruz (MEX)
5. Wendy Martinez (CUB)
7. Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
7. Ingrid Choco (COL)
Men’s 90 kg
1. Jesse Barbosa (BRA)
2. Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Nakano Judo Academy)
3. Naysdel Cardoso (CUB)
3. Joao Segatelle (BRA)
5. Samuel Corzo (VEN)
5. Jhon Caicedo Sinisterra (COL)
7. Carstens Beyers (AUS)
7. Tomas Quinteros (ARG)
Women’s 70 kg
1. Maria Eduarda Oliveira (BRA)
2. Shavon Gonzalez (West Palm Beach, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
3. Heydi Santillana (COL)
3. Charlie Thibault (CAN)
5. Yamileth Juarez Loya (MEX)
5. Carolina Marcon (BRA)
7. Chloe Williams (Stafford, Va. / High Noon Judo)
7. Maria Eugenia Brun (URU)
Men’s 100 kg
1. Zail Ramirez (CUB)
2. Gustavo Milano (BRA)
3. Gustavo Cainzalez (VEN)
3. Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / Colton Brown Training Center)
5. Christopherd Galvis (COL)
5. Marko Figueroa (CHI)
Women’s 78 kg
1. Dandara Camilo (BRA)
2. Tania Murillo (COL)
3. Yhoseli Stephania Matos (DOM)
3. Lisrialis Gonzalez Bonnet (CUB)
5. Maria Jose Nunez (CHI)
5. Alannah Joyce (AUS)
Men’s +100 kg
1. Andrey Coelho (BRA)
2. Jose Miguel Brache Jarquin (BRA)
3. Gabriel Dos Santos (BRA)
3. Hugo Sanchez (MEX)
5. Kanta Ueyama (Burbank, Calif. / LA Tenri Judo)
5. Patricio Urra (CHI)
7. Valentino Valdivia (PER)
7. Jonathan Delgado (CUB)
Women’s +78 kg
1. Dayanara Curbelo Travieso (CUB)
2. Ana Soares (BRA)
3. Aslin Alpajon Leyva (CUB)
3. Kharla Casas (CHI)
5. Rhadi Ferguson (Tampa, Fla. / High Noon Judo)
