Kanta Ueyama Places Fifth at Cadet Worlds

The final day of individual competition at the 2025 OTP Group Cadet World Judo Championships at the Asics Arena in Sofia, Bulgaria, saw American Kanta Ueyama (Burbank, Calif. / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo) reach the medal round in the men's +90kg division. Ueyama would go 2-2 on the day to place fifth.

2025 Cadet World Championships Live Stream and Results

As the top-ranked athlete in the division entering the competition, Ueyama would earn a bye in the first round. Facing Michele Corsica (ITA) in the round of 16, Ueyama scored a yuko (partial score) in the second minute of the match for the only point to secure the win and advance to the quarterfinals (MATCH VIDEO).

Against Melichar Skoda (CZE) in the quarterfinals, Skoda threw Ueyama for a waza-ari (half-point) in the third minute, and that score held up to give the Czech judoka the victory (MATCH VIDEO).

Relegated to the repechage against Alibek Durdiev (UZB), Ueyama took control of the match in the third minute, throwing his much larger opponent for yuko and then for ippon (instant win) in the span of 33 seconds to earn a spot in the bronze-medal match (MATCH VIDEO).

Facing Giorgi Karchaidze (GEO) for bronze, the Georgian was able to score a yuko in the first minute and followed up with a throw for waza-ari in the third minute to claim the medal (MATCH VIDEO).

Both U.S. athletes in Saturday's women's 70kg competition advanced to the round of 16.

In a closely-fought round of 32 match with Isabel Bob (ROU), Chloe Williams (Stafford, Va. / High Noon Judo) was able to score a yuko on a throw in the third minute and that score held up to advance her to the quarterfinals (MATCH VIDEO).

Facing world #1 Lucie Rullier (FRA) in the quarterfinals, Williams held her own until late in the third minute when Rullier threw Williams for a waza-ari and transitioned into a pin for a second waza-ari to end the match (MATCH VIDEO).

Also reaching the round of 16 in the women's 70kg action was Chrystal Monthe Noussi (Fort Worth, Texas / Fort Worth Judo Club).

Making her Cadet World Championships debut as the youngest member of the U.S. women's team, the 14-year-old Monthe Noussi defeated Yasmine Hariss (MAR) in the round of 32 with a throw for waza-ari in the second minute (MATCH VIDEO). She continued her impressive performance in the round of 16 against Vanessa Karaffova (CZE), taking the match deep into the third minute before Karaffova was able to score the only point for a yuko (MATCH VIDEO).

Three other Americans made their Cadet World Championships debuts on Saturday.

Competing in the women's +70kg division, 15-year-old Rhadi Ferguson, Jr. (Tampa, Fla. / High Noon Judo) drew Carlotta Schiavon (ITA) in the round of 32. Neither judoka was able to register a point and the match went into Golden Score (sudden death overtime). Schiavon claimed the victory when Ferguson was awarded her third and disqualifying shido (penalty) just over two minutes into Golden Score (MATCH VIDEO).

Another 15-year-old, Nicholas Zadvinskiy (Staten Island, N.Y. / Cranford JKC) was in action in the men's 90kg competition. He faced Jozef Svatek (SVK) in the round of 64. The only point of the contest came at the two-minute mark when Svatek was able to throw Zadvinskiy for waza-ari to claim the victory (MATCH VIDEO).

The final U.S. judoka competing in Sofia this week was Judah Harris (Kenly, N.C. / Black Ice Judo) in the men's +90kg division. He drew Nikola Markov (BUL) in the round of 32. The match was decided when Harris picked up his third and disqualifying shido in the third minute (MATCH VIDEO).

Top eight and U.S. results from Day 4 are as follows:

Women’s 70 kg
1. Clarisse Vallim (BRA)
2. Charlie Thibault (CAN)
3. Diana Benkova (POL)
3. Keti Robakidze (GEO)
5. Kaho Tsuneda (JPN)
5. Lucie Rullier (FRA)
7. Selina Woegerer (AUT)
7. Vanessa Karaffova (CZE)
Also Competed: Chrystal Monthe Noussi (Fort Worth, Texas / Fort Worth Judo Club), 1-1; Chloe Williams (Stafford, Va. / High Noon Judo), 1-1

Men’s 90 kg
1. Abdula Suleimanov (IJF)
2. Maksim Strokun (BLR)
3. Giorgi Zurabashvili (GEO)
3. Francesco Mazzon (ITA)
5. Cesar De Godoy Tristante (BRA)
5. Apti Utsiev (IJF)
7. Nemanja Simic (SRB)
7. Aljaz Franca (SLO)
Also Competed: Nicholas Zadvinskiy (Staten Island, N.Y. / Cranford JKC), 0-1

Women’s +70 kg
1. Umida Nigmatova (UZB)
2. Emma Feuillet-Nguimgo (FRA)
3. Kristyna Kaszperova (CZE)
3. Misuzu Katsumata (JPN)
5. Akmarzhan Turdazhieva (KGZ)
5. Zuzana Podzemna (CZE)
7. Barbare Gelashvili (GEO)
7. Hatice Tuana Balci (TUR)
Also Competed: Rhadi Ferguson, Jr. (Tampa, Fla. / High Noon Judo), 0-1

Men’s +90 kg
1. Ioane Abalaki (GEO)
2. Kaito Tokita (JPN)
3. Giorgi Karchaidze (GEO)
3. Adilzhan Zhaudinov (KAZ)
5. Kanta Ueyama (Burbank, Calif. / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo)
5. Melichar Skoda (CZE)
7. Alibek Durdiev (UZB)
7. Daniel Csermak (HUN)
Also Competed: Judah Harris (Kenly, N.C. / Black Ice Judo), 0-1