Hilo Trio Place at National Judo Championships

Three members of the Hilo Shudokan Judo Club placed in the top three in their individual events at the 2014 United States Judo Federation and United States Judo Association Junior National Judo Championships held last weekend at the Neal Blaisdell Center Arena in Honolulu.

Caden Pasa took first place in the under-43 kilogram Intermediate A division and Kellen Goya finished at the top of the under-60 kilogram Juvenile B division. Also in Juvenile B, Kody Minemoto finished in third place in the under-81 kilogram event.

Over 1,000 judoka from across the United States, along with Japan and Canada, competed in the three-day event.

In the Intermediate B division, Hailama Anakalea of Kona Hongwanji took first place in the over-52 kilogram event, beating out Takashi Matsumoto of the East Bay Judo Institute. Justin Raymond, also of Kona Hongwanji, took first place in the International Judo Federation Open Division at under-55 kilograms.

Hilo Hongwanji was well represented in the IJF Open divisions. Jordan Sumida was the runner-up in the under-60 kilogram division, finishing behind Brendan Chang of the Hawaii Judo Academy. In the under-81 kilogram event, Austin Nakamura finished first, placing ahead of Wadokan Judo’s Jacob Sanders.

On the women’s end of the IJF Open divisions, Tori Kaya of Puna Hongwanji was a runner-up in the under-52 kilogram division, finishing behind Kokushi Dojo’s Brianna Weck. Skye Matsuura of Hilo Hongwanji also took a second place finish in the under-63 kilogram event.

Sanoe Kihe of Wadokan-Kona was the only individual to place in the Super Heavyweight Intermediate A division.

In the female Juvenile A under-58 kilogram division, Dana Sugai of Kona Hongwanji Judo finished third, behind first place finisher Zoe Tateyama of Pearl City Hongwanji. Waiakea Judo’s Shamma Nakama also took home a third place finish in the under-64 kilogram event. Oceane Mahe finished first from Venus Judo Tahiti.

The adults took center state on the final day of the event. Kona Hongeanji’s Justin Raymond left with a third place finish in the Seniors Black Belt under-55 kilogram division.

In the Kata division, Melanie Isa and Tori Kaya of Puna Hongwanji took first place in the Katame no Kata event. And, Waiakea Judo’s Ronald Takeya and Stephen Hall were the only pair to place in the Goshin Jutsu division.