(ATR) "It brings the best of the continent," reads the headline of a Cuban sports publication on Monday announcing the upcoming Pan American Judo Championships that begin in Havana in less than two weeks.
The Caribbean island has hosted many sports events in the first half of 2016. Cuba sponsored one of the judo Grand Prix tournaments on the world circuit in January and will now host the continental judo tournament where 400 points towards Olympic rankings will be up for grabs. The tournament will be held from April 27-30.
The importance of the event is raised with the presence of International Judo Federation (IJF) president Marius Vizer, organizers of the event have confirmed to Around the Rings.
The IJF reports that 25 countries will compete at the event including Brazil, Canada, United States, Argentina and Mexico each with 18 judokas. The tournament features Olympic stars such as world champion in the 78 kg Kayla Harrison. Harrison is a 26-year-old from Middletown, Ohio who won bronze at the previous judo tournament in Havana and is the current leader of the world rankings.
Other prominent female judoka that will participate in the tournament include three-time world champion in 70 kg Yuri Alvear from Colombia, Paula Pareto from Argentina and Olympic record holder in the 78+ kg Idalys Ortiz of Cuba.
Men’s standouts at the qualifier include Cuban Olympian and silver medalist Asley Gonzalez, world runner-up Jose Armenteros of Cuba, number three in the world Antoine Valois-Fortier of Canada, Travis Stevens of the United States and a strong Brazilian group consisting of Felipe Kitadai, Victor Peñalver, Luciano Correa, Rafeal Silva and David Moura.
Many athletes can confirm their qualification at this Pan-American tournament and others can close in on their hopes of competing at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics this August.
Several judo experts tell ATR that the Olympic hosts Brazil could get several medals in judo using home-field advantage and given the country’s judo tradition. Good performances in judo could pave the way for the host country to achieve its best performance ever at the Olympics. Japan will also seek to perform well in the event as it prepares to host the next edition of the Summer Games in Tokyo in 2020.
Click here to read this story in Spanish.
Written by Miguel Hernandez and translated by Kevin Nutley
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