Jonathan Yang Earns Seventh Place Finish at Cadet World Championship Debut

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Competing at his first Cadet World Championships, 16-year-old Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, CA / LA Judo Club) continued his ascent up the rankings with a seventh-place finish in the 55 kg division in Zagreb, Croatia on Wednesday.

2023 Cadet World Championships Live Stream and Results

Yang, who has one year of cadet eligibility remaining after this season, finished 2-2 on the day, ending the day one win away from the bronze medal match.

After a bye into the round of 32, Yang threw Danylo Avramenko (UKR) for a waza-ari (half-point) with 22 seconds remaining in regulation.

In the 16, Yang trailed four-time Cadet Asian Cup medalist Masharipov Muhammadjon (UZB) by two penalties to one after four minutes of regulation and three minutes of Golden Score (sudden death overtime). Yang continued to push the pace and threw Muhammadjon for ippon.

Yang’s quarter-final would pit him against the eventual Cadet World Champion Nurlan Isataev (KAZ). Again, Yang found himself down two penalties to one in Golden Score, but this time Isataev threw the American for ippon to claim his third of five straight victories on Wednesday.

In the repechange, Yang came up short against two-time Cadet European Cup medalist Adrian Mivovan (FRA), losing by three penalties to two in Golden Score.  

Yang was one of five members of Team USA who each competed at the Cadet Worlds for the first time on Wednesday.

Also competing in the 55 kg event, Henry Parsadanian (North Hollywood, CA) fought in the round of 64, but the 16-year-old was caught with a throw for a waza-ari by 2023 Cadet European Championships bronze medalist Ben Tamary (ISR) in the final 90 seconds.

Sixteen-year-old Damian Lang (Bellevue, WA / Washington Judo Academy) earned the first match win of the day for Team USA when the first-time Cadet World Team member threw Bulgarian Ivo Galenkov in the 50 kg category for a waza-ari just 14 seconds into Golden Score. Lang advanced to the round of 32, but was thrown by Coimbra Cadet European Cup bronze medalist Askhab Isayev (BEL) for a waza-ari late in the second minute and ippon in the third.

Lang’s teammate at Washington Judo Academy, 14-year-old Ethan Boldbaatar (Bellevue, WA), drew a bye into the 32, but fell short of advancing when he was eliminated on a trio of non-combativity penalties in his opening match against three-time Cadet Continental Cup medalist Tuguldur Choijiljav (MGL).

Fifteen-year-old Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, CA / San Gabriel Judo Dojo) faced Maria-Magdaleina Delye (CAN) in her opening match. The Canadian took the match to the ground early and moved into a choke to submit Manibog for the win.

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

Men’s 50 kg
1. Nihad Mamishov (AZE)
2. Mahammad Mamishov (AZE)
3. Francesco Crociani (ITA)
3. Shota Bachoshvili (GEO)
5. Nurbol Askar (MGL)
5. Tuguldur Choijiljav (KAZ)
7. Victor Hugo Silva (BRA)
7. Yerbolat Syzdyk (KAZ)

Also Competed: Damian Lang (Bellevue, WA / Washington Judo Academy), 1-1
Ethan Boldbaatar (Bellevue, WA / Washington Judo Academy), 0-1

Women’s 40 kg
1. Patricia Tomankova (SVK)
2. Sabina Yuldashbekova (KAZ)
3. Dilara Kandymova (TKM)
3. Nina Auer (AUT)
5. Mathilde Aurel (FRA)
5. Aiora Martin Carriches (ESP)
7. Naress Haddeji (TUN)
7. Zere Otepkali (KAZ)

Men’s 55 kg
1. Nurlan Isataev (KAZ)
2. Merabi Samadashvili (GEO)
3. Oralbek Baizak (KAZ)
3. Mirkhalig Iskandarov (AZE)
5. Marko Jorgic (SRB)
5. Adrian Mivovan (FRA)
7. Yassin Sabrah (EGY)
7. Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, CA / LA Judo Club) 

Also Competed: Henry Parsadanian (North Hollywood, CA), 0-1

Women’s 44 kg
1. Clarice Ribeiro (BRA)
2. Otgonjargal Togtbaatar (MGL)
3. Laziza Haydarova (UZB)
3. Oliviya Devi Huidrom (IND)
5. Begumnaz Dogruyol (TUR)
5. Kristina Lili Krizova (SVK)
7. Marta Beorglegui Oses (ESP)
7. Manuela Crespo (COL)

Also Competed: Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, CA / San Gabriel Judo Dojo), 0-1