Mutia Wins 57 kg Gold, Garcia Takes +70 kg Silver at Paralympic Qualifier in Tokyo

(Colorado Springs, CO) – With three tournaments remaining before qualification closes for the 2024 Paralympic Games, Liana Mutia (Philadelphia, PA / El Idriss Judo) and Christella Garcia (Sacramento, CA / Team Sacramento Judo) each reached the podium for the fourth time this season on Tuesday at the IBSA Tokyo Grand Prix.

2023 IBSA Tokyo Grand Prix Results

Mutia, a Tokyo Paralympian, won her first IBSA Grand Prix title, earning her gold medal in the J1 57 kg division while Garcia, a Rio Paralympic bronze medalist, earned silver in the J1 +70 kg event.

Mutia entered the final Paralympic qualifier of the year coming off a silver medal finish at the Parapan American Games last month as well as a bronze medal win at the IBSA World Games in August. The 25 year old also earned bronze medal finishes on the Grand Prix circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan in September and Almada, Portugal in January.

The top seed in the J1 57 kg category, Mutia threw 2023 Baku Grand Prix bronze medalist Uljon Amrieva (UZB) for a waza-ari (half point) off the grip and transitioned quickly into a pin to finish the match.

In a rematch of the Parapan Am Games semifinals, Mutia threw Larissa Silva (BRA) in the first 15 seconds. Although she did not receive a score, Mutia closed the match with a pin.

Fighting for gold, Mutia took on 2020 Paralympic silver medalist Priscilla Gagne, throwing the Canadian for ippon with an o soto gari (major outer reaping) with just over a minute left on the clock.

Also seeded first in her category, Garcia earned a bye into the semifinals where she threw World No. 7 Khatira Ismiyeva (AZE) for ippon.

The win put Garcia, a bronze medalist at both the 2016 Paralympic Games and the 2023 World Games, in her second major final of the year after winning gold at the Almada Grand Prix in January.

Unfortunately, World No. 6 Danitza Yoccelin Sanabria Alcala (VEN) caught Garcia midway through the first minute, throwing the two-time Paralympian for ippon.

Also competing on Tuesday, Tokyo Paralymphic silver medalist Ben Goodrich (St. Paul, MN) placed seventh in the J2 90 kg event. Goodrich fought 2023 World Games bronze medalist Lasha Kizilashvili (GEO) in the first round, but was thrown by the Georgian for ippon with just over a minute remaining in the match. In the repechage, Goodrich advanced on a walkover against Zhanbota Amanzhol (KAZ). He missed the bronze medal final, however, when he was thrown for a pair of waza-aris in the next round by Marcelo Casanova (BRA) – a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Games.

Two members of Team USA earned ninth-place finishes with 1-2 records.

Robert Kim (Chicago, IL), a member of the 2023 Parapan American Games Team, opened with a strong win after a bye into the second round of the J2 73 kg event on Monday, throwing Muhammad Asad Rauf Abbasi (PAK) for ippon during the first exchange. Kim advanced to the quarter-finals, but was thrown for a waza-ari in the first minute by 2022 World Championships bronze medalist Namig Abasli (AZE) and for ippon in the second minute. In the repechage, Kim was thrown for a waza-ari and then pinned by Donghoon Kim (KOR).

Beijing Paralympian Andre Watson (Aldan, PA / El Idrissi Judo Academy) fought into Golden Score in the first round of the J1 90 kg event on Tuesday against two-time Paralympic medalist Cyril Jonard (FRA) before being thrown for a waza-ari score.

Watson advanced through the first round of the repechage on a walkover against Taha Al-Gburi (IRQ), but was thrown for ippon in the second minute of the next round by Turgun Abdiev (UZB).  

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

J1 Men’s 60 kg
1. Henry Borges (URU)
2. Abdelkader Bouamer (ALG)
3. Kapil Parmar (IND)
3. Vitoon Konguk (THA)
5. Elielton De Oliveira (BRA)
5. Miguel Vieira (POR)
7. Sukhbat Bayasgalan (MGL)
7. Junaedi (INA)

J1 Women’s 48 kg
1. Khaiitkhon Khusan Kyzy (KGZ)
2. Shizuka Hangai (JPN)
3. Rosicleide De Andrade (BRA)
3. Anna Tabea Muller (GER)
5. Rocio Ledesma Dure (ARG)
5. Suvd-Erdene Togtokhbayar (MGL)
7. Emmanouela Masourou (GRE)
7. Novia Larassati (INA)

J1 Men’s 73 kg
1. Florin Alexandru Bologa (ROU)
2. Lennart Sass (GER)
3. Yergali Shamey (KAZ)
3. Yuji Kato (JPN)
5. Assylan Nurdauletov (KAZ)
5. Harlley Damian Pereira Arruda (BRA)
7. Mamatibraim Suranov (KGZ)
7. Dyebo Lamani (RSA)

J1 Women’s 57 kg
1. Liana Mutia (Philadelphia, PA / El Idrissi Judo Academy)
2. Priscilla Gagne (CAN)
3. Paula karina Gomez Martinez (ARG)
3. Maria Manzanero Ruiz (ESP)
5. Uljon Amrieva (UZB)
5. Larissa Silva (BRA)
7. Flora Buranyi (HUN)
7. Ina Cernei (MDA)

J1 Men’s 90 kg
1. Oleg Cretul (MDA)
2. Daniel Powell (GBR)
3. Battugs Batkhuyag (MGL)
3. Cyril Conard (FRA)
5. Turgun Abdiev (UZB)
5. Bauyrzhan Arstanbekov (KAZ)
7. Kiitikai Chaisin (THA)
7. Oscar Widegren (SWE)

Also Competed: Andre Watson (Aldan, PA / El Idrissi Judo Academy), 1-2

J1 Women’s 70 kg
1. Turuunaa Lkhaijav (MGL)
2. Theodora Paschalidou (GRE)
3. Dinara Kujulova (KAZ)
3. Matilde Lauria (ITA)
5. Maha Ali (EGY)
5. Minako Tsuchiya (JPN)

J1 Men’s +90 kg
1. Ion Basoc (MDA)
2. Ilham Zakiyev (AZE)
3. Ganbat Dashtseren (MGL)
3. Yerlan Utepov (KAZ)
5. Murtadha Al-Sultani (IRQ)
5. Azizbek Normuminov (UZB)
7. Shakhzod Khushvaktov (UZB)
7. Daniel Knegt (NED)

J1 Women’s +70 kg
1. Danitza Yoccelin Sanabria Alcala (VEN)
2. Christella Garcia (Sacramento, CA / Team Sacramento Judo)
3. Feruza Ergasheva (UZB)
3. Roma Siska Tampubolon (INA)
5. Maryam Aldhanhani (UAE)
5. Khatira Ismiyeva (AZE)

J2 Men’s 60 kg
1. Kemran Nurillaev (UZB)
2. Vugar Shirinli (AZE)
3. Sherzod Namozov (UZB)
3. Nukri MIgrijanashvili (GEO)
5. Zurab Zurabiani (GEO)
5. Alikhan Dzhumagulov (KGZ)
7. Anuar Sariye (KAZ)
7. Ishak Ouldkouider (ALG)

Also Competed: Ron Hawthorne (Kansas City, KS / Welcome Mat Judo), 0-1

J2 Women’s 48 kg
1. Akmaral Nauatbek (KAZ)
2. Shahana Hajiyeva (AZE)
3. Lobar Khurramova (UZB)
3. Kokila (IND)
5. Sandrine Aurieres Martinet (FRA)
5. Isabell Thal (GER)
7. Yui Fujiwara (JPN)
7. Shaika Yousif (UAE)

J2 Men’s 73 kg             
1. Yujiro Seto (JPN)
2. Olzhas Orazalyuly (KAZ)
3. Giorgi Kaldani (GEO)
3. Namig Abasli (AZE)
5. Donghoon Kim (KOR)
5. Feruz Sayidov (UZB)
7. Miles Solman (GBR)
7. Nathan Petit (FRA)

Also Competed: Robert Kim (Chicago, IL), 1-2

J2 Women’s 57 kg
1. Kumushkhon Khodjaeva (UZB)
2. Dayana Fedossova (KAZ)
3. Junko Hirose (JPN)
3. Hiroko Kudo (JPN)
5. Lucia Araujo (BRA)
5. Ramona Brussig (GER)
7. Marta Arce Payno (ESP)

J2 Men’s 90 kg
1. Helios Latchoumanaya (FRA)
2. Davurkhon Karomatov (UZB)
3. Zviad Gogotchuri (GEO)
3. Daniel Rafael Goral (GER)
5. Marcelo Casanova (BRA)
5. Lasha Kizilashvili (GEO)
7. Ben Goodrich (St. Paul, MN)
7. Evan Molloy (GBR)

J2 Women’s 70 kg
1. Munisa Madrimova (UZB)
2. Khanim Huseynova (AZE)
3. Ina Kaldani (GEO)

J2 Men’s +90 kg
1. Revaz Chikoidze (GEO)
2. Zhurkamyrza Shukurbekov (KAZ)
3. Aloviddin Jurakulov (UZB)
3. Yerlan Konkiyev (KAZ)
5. Jack Hodgson (GBR)
5. Chris Skelley (GBR)

J2 Women’s +70 kg
1. Rebeca Silva (BRA)
2. Zarina Raifova (KAZ)
3. Aidana Gazizkyzy (KAZ)
3. Dursadaf Karimova (AZE)
5. Prescillia Leze (FRA)
5. Kirsten Taylor (GBR)
7. Taylor Gosens (AUS)
7. Atsumi Nishimura (JPN)

Also Competed: Katie Davis (Sacramento, CA / Team Sacramento Judo), 0-2
Clara Alardyce (Independence, KY), 0-2