Athletes End 2023 at Top of the National Rankings

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Athletes from more than 60 clubs around the nation ended the 2023 season with No. 1 positions on the top of the USA Judo National Ranking Rosters for their categories.

2023 Year-End National Ranking Rosters

Athletes earn points on the rosters for top-five finishes at national and international tournaments in senior, junior, visually impaired and veteran categories.

Among the top juniors this year are seven athletes who won gold medals in the same age category in all four major U.S. junior point tournaments in 2023 (USA Judo Youth National Championships, USA Judo Junior Olympic Championships, Junior U.S. Open and USA Judo President’s Cup):

• Felipe Avila (Miami Lakes, FL / Budokan Judo School), Men’s Intermediate 31 kg
• Zaurbek Khabalov (Buffalo Grove, IL / European Judo), Men’s Bantam 6 39 kg
• Devanie Gomez (Richardson, TX / Becerra Judo), Women’s Bantam 6 31 kg (YN, JO, JR Open), Bantam 6 35 kg (Prez Cup)
• Addison Brown (Crowley, TX / Chandler Judo Academy), Women’s Bantam 5 41 kg (YN), Bantam 5 +41 kg (JO, Jr Open, Prez Cup)
• Camila Miserendino (Coconut Creek, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)), Women’s Bantam 5 33 kg
• Carmen Tsyrlin (Fair Lawn, NJ / Sakura Judo), Women’s Bantam 4 22 kg
• Luna Penaranda (Boca Raton, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), Women’s Bantam 3 25 kg

Twenty athletes finished the year at No. 1 in two or more categories:

• Nicole Cancela (Coral Springs, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), No. 1 at IJF-Junior 52 kg and 57 kg and Cadet 57 kg
• Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, CA / LA Judo Club), No. 1 at Senior 66 kg and IJF-Junior 66 kg
• Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NY / NYAC / Cranford JKC), No. 1 at Senior 73 kg and IJF-Junior 73 kg
• Johan Silot Suse (Salem, MA / NYAC / Pedro’s Judo Center), No. 1 at Senior 81 kg and IJF-Junior 81 kg
• Harlee Hiller (Evanston, IL / Cohen Brothers), No. 1 at Senior 52 kg and Cadet 52 kg
• Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), No. 1 at IJF-Junior and Cadet 63 kg
• Shavon Gonzalez (West Palm Beach, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), No. 1 at IJF-Junior and Cadet 70 kg
• Sophia Dresel (Casselberry, FL / Sasaki Judo), No. 1 at IJF-Junior +78 kg and Cadet +70 kg
• Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, NY / Colton Brown Training Center), No. 1 at IJF-Junior 90 kg and Cadet 90 kg
• Taylor Do Carmo (Lehigh Acres, FL / Chief Pride Judo), No. 1 at Juvenile 36 kg and Intermediate 34 kg
• Daniel Lima (Coral Springs, FL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), No. 1 at Juvenile 48 kg and Intermediate 47 kg
• Naxi Li (Redmond, WA / Phoenix Judo Club – Hawaii), No. 1 at Bantam 6 31 and 35 kg
• Zaurbek Khabalov (Buffalo Grove, IL / European Judo Academy), No. 1 at Bantam 6 35 and 39 kg
• Allan Titov (Lake Zurich, IL / European Judo Academy), No. 1 at Bantam 6 44 and +44 kg
• Daniel Zakharov (Mundelein, IL / European Judo Academy), No. 1 at Bantam 5 33 kg and 37 kg
• Addison Brown (Crowley, TX / Chandler Judo Academy), No. 1 at Bantam 5 +41 kg and Bantam 4 +38 kg
• Carmen Tsyrlin (Fair Lawn, NJ / Sakura Judo), No. 1 at Bantam 4 22 kg and 26 kg
• Edward Zalinyan (Glendale, CA / Olymp Fight Club), No. 1 at Bantam 3 29 kg and +29 kg
• Cayden Sanchez (West Covina, CA / Guerreros Judo), No. 1 at Bantam 1 23 kg and +23 kg
• Sandy North (Hollywood, CA / Budokan Judo School), No. 1 at Veteran 8 60 kg and 66 kg
• James Kinder (Kinnelon, NJ), No.1 at Veteran 10 81 kg and 90 kg

A complete list of 2023 No. 1s is as follows: