Jaspe Places Fifth, Cancela Finishes Seventh at Cadet Worlds

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Fighting at her second Cadet World Championships, 17-year-old Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) finished one win short of the podium on Friday, placing fifth in the 63 kg category in Zagreb, Croatia.

2023 Cadet World Championships Results

Seeded first at 63 kg, Jaspe earned a bye into the round of 32 where she threw Kristina Opanasenko (UKR) for a pair of waza-ari scores.

In the round of 16, Jaspe fought two-time Cadet European Cup medalist Magda Glubiak (POL) into Golden Score (sudden death overtime) with the score tied at two penalties a piece. Glubiak was given a third penalty for non-combativity just under a minute into Golden Score and Jaspe took the match.

Jaspe dropped her quarter-final match against eventual Cadet World Champion Yuri Shimizu (JPN) when she was thrown for ippon in the third minute, but came back in the repechage to throw Nasiba Narymanova (TKM) for a waza-ari (half-point) score.

Fighting for bronze at the Cadet Worlds for the first time after a seventh-place finish last year, Jaspe met 2022 Riga Cadet European Cup bronze medalist Varvara Kuchar (LTU) in her final match of the day. Kuchar was aggressive from the start, throwing Jaspe for a waza-ari in the opening minute and pinned the American in the final minute.

Sixteen-year-old Jayda Fulp (Fort Worth, TX / Chandler Judo Academy) also fought at her second Cadet Worlds at 63 kg, but failed to advance after being thrown first for a waza-ari and then for ippon during her opening match against Lucia Carpio Fernandez (ESP).

Seventeen-year-old Nicole Cancela (Coral Springs, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) finished seventh in the 52 kg category last year, but moved up to 57 kg earlier this season. Although the Cadet Worlds would be just her second IJF tournament in the higher weight, Cancela established herself in the new category with a 2-2 result.

After a bye into the round of 32, Cancela threw 2023 Coimbra Cadet European Cup silver medalist Sara Cardella (ITA) for a waza-ari and transitioned into an armbar to take the match.

In the next round, Cancela drew three-time Cadet European Cup medalist Emilia Bielawska (POL). Cancela had one penalty to Bielawska’s two when both athletes were given a non-combativity penalty late in the final minute and Cancela awarded the match.

Cancela and three-time Cadet European Cup medalist Hili Zakroisky (ISR) competed in the quarter-finals, but Zakroisky threw Cancela for a waza-ari and moved straight into a pin to take the match before going on to win bronze.

One win away from a chance to fight for bronze, Cancela fought Maria Silveira (POR) – the reigning Cadet European Champion and seven-time Cadet European Cup medalist. With two penalties each, Silveira took Cancela to the ground in the final seconds of regulation, pinning her for ippon. Silveira would go on to win bronze.

Sixteen-year-old Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, PA / Yawara Force) won the first round of his Cadet World debut at 81 kg, pinning Imran Gusic (BIH) in the third minute and pinning Gusic in the final seconds of regulation. In the round of 32, Shulgin was thrown for a waza-ari score by Lucas Ribeiro (BRA).

Fifteen-year-old Anthony Farnot (Lehigh Acres, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) came into his second Cadet World Championships ranked No. 3 in the world at 73 kg, but was eliminated in the round of 32 when he was choked by Ryusei Arakawa (JPN).

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

Men’s 73 kg
1. Lucio Tavoletta (ITA)
2. Tsotne Bakhtadze (GEO)
3. Suleyman Shukurov (AZE)
3. Azamat Ablakulov (UZB)
5. Bogdan Velickovic (SRB)
5. Bulcsu Pinter (HUN)
7. Vygirdas Narkus (LTU)
7. Ryusei Arakawa (JPN)

Also Competed: Anthony Farnot (Lehigh Acres, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

Women’s 57 kg
1. Riko Honda (JPN)
2. Yu-Han Lin (TPE)
3. Maria Silveira (POR)  
3. Hili Zakroisky (ISR)
5. Zhanar Zholdosheva (KGZ)
5. Aselkhan Aralbaeva (UZB)
7. Nicole Cancela (Coral Springs, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
7. Marina Capezzuto (ITA)

Men’s 81 kg
1. Boris Rutovic (SRB)
2. Alessandro Bruno D’Urbano (ITA)
3. Dosbol Balgabay (KAZ)
3. Giorgi Bendeliani (GEO)
5. Konstantin Distel (GER)
5. Dusan Grahovac (SRB)
7. Emir Selim Ari (TUR)
7. Luis Pariche (VEN)

Also Competed: Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, PA / Yawara Force), 1-1

Women’s 63 kg
1. Yuri Shimizu (JPN)
2. Sophia Camara (BRA)
3. Varvara Kuchar (LTU)
3. Nigina Saparboeva (UZB)
5. Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
5. Yesui Darkhanbatbayar (MGL)
7. Nasiba Narymanova (TKM)
7. Lucia Carpio Fernandez (ESP)

Also Competed: Jayda Fulp (Fort Worth, TX / Chandler Judo Academy), 0-1