Jack Yonezuka Climbs Olympic Rankings with Bronze Medal Win in Perth
by Nicole Jomantas
(Colorado Springs, CO) – Two-time Junior World medalist Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC) won his third major senior international medal of the season on Friday with a bronze medal finish at the Perth Oceania Open in Australia.
2023 Perth Oceania Open Results
Yonezuka earned Grand Prix-level points in Perth which propelled him to No. 16 at 73 kg in the Olympic Rankings with the top 17 as of June 24, 2024 securing positions for the Paris Olympic Games.
Seeded third in the 73 kg division, Yonezuka drew a bye into the round of 16 where he pinned Hong Nin Mak (HKG) just over a minute into the match.
Yonezuka lost his next match in the quarter-finals by a choke to Eric Ham (GBR), but returned in the repechage where he threw two-time European U23 Championships medalist Nurlan Osmanov (AZE) for a waza-ari in the second minute and pinned Osmanov in the third.
In the bronze medal final, Yonezuka and 2023 Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam silver medalist Adam Stodolski (POL) went into the third minute of Golden Score before Yonezuka threw Stodolski for a waza-ari to clinch the bronze.
The win comes on the heels of a fifth-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam last month for Yonezuka who is now the highest ranked U.S. man in the world.
On Saturday, two-time Senior Pan Am medalist John Jayne (Chicago, IL) racked up significant Olympic qualification points as well with a seventh-place finish in the 90 kg division.
After a bye into the round of 16, Jayne threw 2022 Junior Pan Am-Oceania Championships bronze medalist Danny Vojnikovich (AUS) for a waza-ari during the first exchange and then for ippon (instant win) during the third minute.
In the quarter-finals, Jayne trailed 2018 European U23 Championships silver medalist Jamal Petgrave (GBR) by two penalties to one at the end of regulation and dropped the match late in the first minute over overtime when he was given a third penalty.
Jayne took an early lead in the repechage where he threw four-time Grand Slam medalist Sami Chouchi (BEL) for a waza-ari score in the opening minute. However, Chouchi threw Jayne for a waza-ari in the third minute and held onto a pin to take the match.
Six members of Team USA earned first-round wins and top-16 results in Perth.
David Terao (Fairfax, VA), Hannah Martin (Burnt Hills, NY / New York Athletic Club) and Ari Berliner (Schenectady, NY / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center) each placed in the top 16 on Friday while Nick Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC), Nate Keeve (San Rafel, CA / New York Athletic Club) and Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, VA / Sport Judo) finished in the top 16 on Saturday.
Terao, a 2023 Pan Am Games Team member, won his opening match at 60 kg against Maximilian Standke (GER) when Standke was given a hansokumake three minutes into Golden Score. In the round of Terao trailed 2023 Senior Pan Am-Oceania Championships silver medalist Joshua Katz (AUS) by two penalties at the end of regulation and lost the match early in Golden Score when he was handed a third.
Martin, who won her fourth career Senior Pan Am Championships medal in September, threw four-time European Open medalist Agatha Schmidt (GER) for a waza-ari nearly two minutes into Golden Score (sudden death overtime) to win her first round 63 kg match. In the round of 16, Martin drew World No. 5 Katharina Haecker (AUS) in a rematch of their 2023 Senior Pan Am-Oceania Championships semifinal. Martin battled with Haecker for the first three minutes before being choked.
A bronze medalist at the 2022 Senior Pan Am-Oceania Championships, Berliner’s first win came on a walkover against six-time Senior Oceania Champion Ivo Dos Santos (AUS). In the round of 16, Berliner and 2022 Junior World bronze medalist Muhammed Demirel (TUR) were tied at two penalties a piece when Demirel threw Berliner for ippon nearly 90 seconds into Golden Score.
Nick Yonezuka, the elder of the brothers and a two-time Senior World Team member himself, choked two-time Asian Open medalist Kwok Wing Lee (KOR) after going into Golden Score in the opening round. In the round of 16, Yonezuka was poised to upset two-time Grand Prix medalist Mykhailo Svidrak (UKR), throwing Svidrak for a waza-ari midway through the match. The Ukrainian didn’t let up, however, throwing Yonezuka for ippon in the final 30 seconds of the match.
Keeve, a two-time Senior Pan Am medalist, took Liam Park (AUS) to the ground during the first exchange, choking the 2018 Senior Oceania Champion in just over 30 seconds for the win. Keeve’s next round would be a rematch of the 2023 Senior Pan Am bronze medal match where Keeve defeated three-time Grand Slam medalist Rafael Buzacarini (BRA) in September. This time, the Braziliarn threw Keeve for a pair of waza-ari scores in the third minute.
Less than two weeks after making her national team debut at the Pan American Games, Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, VA / Sport Judo) opened the 70 kg division with a quick ippon, throwing Ella Kelso (NZL) during the first exchange. In the next round, Alamin was thrown by 2017 Senior World silver medalist Maria Perez (PUR) in the first minute. Neither athlete scored during the next two minutes with both players racking up two penalties before Alamin was given a third and Perez awarded the match.
Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:
Men’s 60 kg
1. Yung Wei Yang (TPE)
2. Chong-You Lin (TPE)
3. Michel Augusto (BRA)
3. Rodrigo Costa Lopes (POR)
5. Petros Christodoulides (CYP)
5. Joshua Katz (AUS)
7. Simone Aversa (ITA)
7. James Zahra (MLT)
Also Competed: David Terao (Fairfax, VA), 1-1
Women’s 48 kg
1. Hyekyeong Lee (KOR)
2. Xinran Hui (CHN)
3. Katharina Menz (GER)
3. Tugce Beder (TUR)
5. Mireia Lapuerta Comas (ESP)
5. Sila Ersin (TUR)
7. Katharina Tanzer (AUT)
7. Anneliese Fielder (AUS)
Also Competed: Anne Suzuki (San Jose, CA / San Jose State University), 0-1
Maria Laborde (Kenosha, WI / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 66 kg
1. Abderrahmane Boushita (MAR)
2. Luukas Saha (FIN)
3. Georgios Balarjishvili (CYP)
3. Martin Setz (GER)
5. Mattia Miceli (ITA)
5. Muhammed Demirel (TUR)
7. Strahinja Buncic (SRB)
7. Julien Frascadore (CAN)
Also Competed: Ari Berliner (Schenectady, NY / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center), 1-1
Women’s 52 kg
1. Ariane Toro Soler (ESP)
2. Yeqing Zhu (CHN)
3. Aydan Valiyeva (AZE)
3. Aleksandra Kaleta (POL)
5. Annika Wurfel (GER)
5. Gultaj Mammadaliyeva (AZE)
7. Yingwei Liu (CHN)
7. Amber Ryheul (BEL)
Also Competed: Angelica Delgado (Miami, FL / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1
Jenna Schurr (Torrance, CA), 0-1
Men’s 73 kg
1. Bajsangur Bagajev (SRB)
2. Jorge Cano Garcia (ESP)
3. Eric Ham (GBR)
3. Jack Yonezuka (West Long Beach, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC)
5. Benjamin Axus (FRA)
5. Adam Stodolski (POL)
7. Luke Davies (GBR)
7. Nurlan Osmanov (AZE)
Women’s 57 kg
1. Mimi Huh (KOR)
2. Nekoda Smythe-Davis (BEL)
3. Mina Libeer (BEL)
3. Arleta Podolak (POL)
5. Seija Ballhaus (GER)
5. Jaione Equisoain (ESP)
7. Fidan Alizada (AZE)
7. Hasret Bozkurt (TUR)
Also Competed: Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo), 0-1
Men’s 81 kg
1. Giacomo Gamba (ITA)
2. Adam Kopecky (CZE)
3. Lachlan Moorhead (GBR)
3. Aurelien Bonferroni (SUI)
5. Dominic Ressel (GER)
5. Mykhailo Svidrak (UKR)
7. Timo Cavelius (GER)
7. Achraf Moutii (MAR)
Also Competed: Nick Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC), 1-1
Kell Berliner (Schenectady, NY / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1
Women’s 63 kg
1. Jing Tang (CHN)
2. Katharina Haecker (AUS)
3. Jisu Kim (KOR)
3. Amina Belkadi (ALG)
5. Sarai Padilla Guerrero (ESP)
5. Cristina Cabana Perez (ESP)
7. Iva Oberan (CRO)
7. Renata Zachova (CZE)
Also Competed: Hannah Martin (Burnt Hills, NY / New York Athletic Club), 1-1
Sara Golden (Crystal Lake IL / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 90 kg
1. Murad Fatiyev (AZE)
2. Klen Kristofer Kaljulaid (EST)
3. Sungho Lee (KOR)
3. Jamal Petgrave (GBR)
5. Sami Chouchi (BEL)
5. Louis Krieber Gagnon (CAN)
7. John Jayne (Chicago, IL)
7. David Klammert (CZE)
Women’s 70 kg
1. Maria Perez (PUR)
2. Miriam Butkereit (GER)
3. Aoife Coughlan (AUS)
3. Fidan Ogel (TUR)
5. Kelly Petersen Pollard (GBR)
5. Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown (GBR)
7. Anka Pogacnik (SLO)
7. Luana Carvalho (BRA)
Also Competed: Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, VA / Sport Judo), 1-1
Men’s 100 kg
1. Leonardo Goncalves (BRA)
2. Rafael Buzacarini (BRA)
3. Piotr Kuczera (POL)
3. Anton Savytskiy (UKR)
5. Louis Mai (GER)
5. Francisco Balanta (COL)
7. George Udsilauri (GER)
7. Bojan Dosen (SRB)
Also Competed: Nate Keeve (San Rafael, CA / NYAC), 1-1
Women’s 78 kg
1. Giorgia Stangherlin (ITA)
2. Metka Lobnik (SLO)
3. Alina Boehm (GER)
3. Jeongyun Lee (KOR)
5. Khuslen Otgonbayar (MGL)
5. Marie Branser (GUI)
7. Petrunjela Pavic (CRO)
7. Moira De Villiers (NZL)
Men’s +100 kg
1. Marius Fizel (SVK)
2. Erik Abramov (GER)
3. Kacper Szczurowski (POL)
3. Losseni Kone (GER)
5. Enej Marinic (SLO)
5. Vito Dragic (SLO)
7. Vladut Simionescu (ROU)
7. Wesley Greenidge (GBR)
Women’s +78 kg
1. Shiyan Xu (CHN)
2. Beatriz Souza (BRA)
3. Xin Su (CHN)
3. Renee Lucht (GER)
5. Sydnee Andrews (NZL)
5. Milica Zabic (SRB)
7. Erica Simonetti (ITA)
7. Samira Bouizgarne (GER)