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McPherson, Kesler Reach Round of 16 at Cadet Worlds

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by Bill Kellick

Anthony Reyes (blue) of the U.S. attempts a throw on Turkey's Numan Oney during the men's 66kg round of 32 at the 2025 OTP Group Cadet World Judo Championships on August 28 in Sofia, Bulgaria. (Photo by IJF)

Two Americans making their international debuts reached the round of 16 on Thursday during the second day of competition at the 2025 OTP Group Cadet World Judo Championships at the Asics Arena in Sofia, Bulgaria: Mackenzie McPherson (Miramar, Fla. / Budokan Judo Club in South Florida) in the women’s 52kg division, and Liam Kesler (San Jose, Calif. / CJ Judo) in the men’s 60kg division.

2025 Cadet World Championships Live Stream and Results

The 15-year-old McPherson matched up against Alisiya Zharskaya (BLR) in the round of 32. The tightly-contested match went four minutes before Zharskaya picked up her third and disqualifying shido (penalty), giving McPherson the victory. MATCH VIDEO

In the round of 16, McPherson drew world #4 Nicole Marques (BRA). The Brazilian executed a throw for waza-ari (half-point) 39 seconds into the contest, and followed up with an ippon (instant win) 22 seconds later to secure the win. Marques would go on to win her second Cadet World Championship bronze medal. MATCH VIDEO

Kesler opened against Natas Aleksejunas (LTU) in the round of 32. In the third minute of action, Kesler scored a waza-ari on an ouchi gari (major inner reap) and followed that up with a tani otoshi (side sacrifice technique) for ippon at the start of the fourth minute. MATCH VIDEO

Now into the final 16, Kesler faced Loiq Kudbudinov (TJK), who wasted no time in taking the fight to Kesler. Kudbudinov scored a waza-ari in the first 10 seconds and then ended the match with an ippon at the 43-second mark. Kudbudinov went on to win the silver medal. MATCH VIDEO

Four other Americans were in action on Thursday.

Seventeen-year-old Anthony Reyes (Round Rock, Texas / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), making his Cadet Worlds debut, matched up against Numan Onay (TUR) in the men's 66kg round of 32. Onay got on the board first with a seoi nage throw (shoulder throw) for waza-ari in the first 20 seconds, but Reyes responded by scoring three straight yukos (partial score). In the final 30 seconds, Onay executed a sode tsurikomi goshi (sleeve lifting pulling hip throw) for ippon to claim the victory. MATCH VIDEO

Competing at her second Cadet World Championships, 16-year-old Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, Calif. / San Gabriel Judo) drew Nourane Moussati (FRA) in the women's 48kg round of 64. The match was scoreless until the final minute, when Moussati was able to score a yuko for the contest's only point. She would go on to win a bronze medal. MATCH VIDEO

Sixteen-year-old Adrian Cohen (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo) also made his Cadet World Championships debut on Thursday. In another tightly-contested match against Botond Kunyik (HUN) in the men's 60kg round of 64, neither judoka was able to score a point in the first four minutes of regulation time. The match went into Golden Score (sudden-death overtime) and was decided when Cohen was assessed his third shido for non-combativity. MATCH VIDEO

Aubrey Genereux (Port St. Lucie, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 16, entered her second Cadet World Championships and drew Madina Qurbonzoda (TJK) in the women's 52kg round of 32. The match went scoreless through the opening two minutes before Qurbonzoda secured the win with an ippon via submission with an armbar in the third minute. MATCH VIDEO

Competition continues on Friday with five more Americans in action: Ellianna Abbott (Rayne, La. / Louisiana Judo) and Logyn Lynn Puahala (Aiea, Hawaii / Hawaii Kaikaku Judo Club) in the women’s 57kg; Lily Oh (Ashburn, Va. / SportJudo) in the women’s 63kg; Ivan Baranau (Levittown, Pa. / Yawara Force Judo/Sambo Club) in the men’s 73kg; and Derick Thomas, III (El Cerrito, Calif. / Berkeley Genco Judo Club) in the men’s 81kg.

Top eight and U.S. results from Day 2 are as follows:

Women’s 48 kg
1. Clarice Ribeiro (BRA)
2. Maelys Dapa (BEL)
3. Nourane Moussati (FRA)
3. Barbara Twarowska (POL)
5. Sarah Mendes (BRA)
5. Gabriela Herta (MDA)
7. Celine Iddir (FRA)
7. Aiora Martin Carriches (ESP)
Also Competed: Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, Calif. / San Gabriel Judo), 0-1

Men’s 60 kg
1. Yernur Batyrgali (KAZ)
2. Loiq Kudbudinov (TJK)
3. Zeyd Alasgarov (AZE)
3. Dilshod Karimov (UZB)
5. Toai Hashima (JPN)
5. Mukhammadkarim Nosirov (UZB)
7. Botond Kunyik (HUN)
7. Artak Azarumyan (EST)
Also Competed: Liam Kesler (San Jose, Calif. / CJ Judo), 1-1; Adrian Cohen (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo), 0-1

Women’s 52 kg
1. Rio Shirakane (JPN)
2. Sofia Cordova (SWE)
3. Monica Martinez De Rituerto Morillas (ESP)
3. Nicole Marques (BRA)
5. Alice Lopez (FRA)
5. Madina Qurbonzoda (TJK)
7. Salome Merkviladze (GEO)
7. Mariam Guliashvili (GEO)
Also Competed: Mackenzie McPherson (Miramar, Fla. / Budokan Judo Club in South Florida), 1-1; Aubrey Genereux (Port St. Lucie, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

Men’s 66 kg
1. Rakhim Khamkhoev (IJF)
2. Mukhammedali Zhylkaidar (KAZ)
3. Rolan Kairgali (KAZ)
3. Muslim Kotiev (IJF)
5. Anes Mati (CAN)
5. Zygimantas Karalevicius (LTU)
7. Numan Onay (TUR)
7. Preslav Nikolov (BUL)
Also Competed: Anthony Reyes (Round Rock, Texas / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1