First Super World Cup Medal for Team USA Since 2004
By Nicole Jumantas~ USA Judo

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Perhaps “33” is a good age. Maybe not for everyone, but for 33-year-old Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen) it’s worked out well so far as the mother of two added her fifth major international medal of the year in the 57kg division to her resume when she won bronze at the Rotterdam Super World Cup in the Netherlands.

Photo courtesy of USA Judo
Valerie Gotay receives her Bronze Medal

The win was the first medal earned by an American at a Super World Cup since Jimmy Pedro (Methuen, Mass.) placed second at the Hamburg Super World Cup in 2004.

And yes, Pedro’s win also came at the ever-lucky age 33.

After a first-round bye, Gotay, who retired from competition after the 1992 Olympic Games only to return to the mat in 2004, won her first match by ippon (instant win) against Fanny Riaboff (FRA). Riaboff is a sometimes-63kg player who placed second at the 2006 Birmingham World Cup behind Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE / NYAC).

In the quarter-finals, Gotay beat 2007 Paris Super World Cup Champion and former European medalist Lena Goeldi (SUI) by ippon to advance to the medal rounds.

Gotay fought a close match, but lost on a penalty in the semifinals to eventual silver medalist Marlen Hein (GER).

Gotay went on to fight Kifayat Gasimova (AZE) in the bronze medal match where the score was tied until the final five seconds went Gotay double-legged Gasimova to score a koka (smallest points) and earn the win.

Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 60kg) also competed on Friday, winning his first match against Artur Srapyan (ARM) by a yuko (quarter-point) and a waza-ari (half-point).

Photo courtesy of USA Judo
57 kg Women Medalists in Rotterdam

In the second round, O’Neil earned a yuko score off two penalties committed by Ruslan Kishmakov (RUS), the reigning European Champion who beat O’Neil in the semifinals of the German Open in August, but Kishmakov scored three times on O’Neil to win the match.

Kishmakov lost in the next round to Laszlo Burjan (HUN), eliminating O’Neil.

Competition continues on Saturday with the men’s 73kg and 81kg divisions and the women’s 63kg and 70kg divisions.

Pan American Games Champion Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 73kg) won a silver medal during his last trip to Rotterdam in 2006 when the city hosted an A-Level World Cup. Reser’s division includes a first-round match against Christophe Stangl (AUT) who placed third at the Moscow Super World Cup in May. A win would set Reser against either Kiyoshi Uematsu (ESP) who beat Reser in the second round of the 2005 World Championships en route to winning bronze or Marco Maddaloni (ITA) who beat Reser in the finals of the Swiss Open in April. Also in Reser’s pool are Dirk Van Tichelt (BEL) who beat Reser at the 2006 Belgian Open where Reser finished third and Henry Schoeman (NED), the 2005 Worlds fifth-place finisher who Reser beat last year in Rotterdam. Akos Braun (HUN), the 2005 World Champion, will be a player to watch on the bottom of the draw.

Five-time Pan Am medalist Aaron Cohen (Buffalo Grove, Ill. / NYAC / Cohen’s Judo) will compete against Levan Tsiklauri (GEO) who won the German Open, the Worlds tune-up event, in August. The winner of that match will likely fight Tomislav Marijanovic (CRO) who placed seventh at the Worlds two weeks ago. Also in Cohen’s pool is Anthony Fritsch (FRA) who beat Cohen at the German Open in August. In the bottom of the bracket, watch out for Diogo Lima (POR) who placed third at the Birmingham World Cup last week.

Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University) moved up to 63kg earlier this year and had some tough international matches to start, but came into her own at the World Championships where she earned the second-best finish for Team USA, placing ninth with a 3-2 record. Malloy is back on the mat again as one of only two players who didn’t get a first-round bye when she competes against Katrien Verheeke (BEL), a five-time World Cup medalist. The winner fights Margo Wetzer (GER), the 2006 European U-23 Champion. Wins in these first two matches are necessary for Malloy as the third round is expected to be against 2004 Olympic silver medalist Claudia Heill (AUT) who beat Malloy at the German Open in August.

Complete results for Friday’s competition on next page!