15 Medals for the U15 Team at Pan Am Championships

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Team USA won 15 individual medals, including four gold, on December 6 at the Pan American U15 Championships in Lima, Peru. It was a four-medal improvement over last year's total of 11 medals (2 gold). A total of 185 competitors (101 male, 84 female) from 13 nations took part in the event with the U.S. sending a delegation of 38 athletes. The American contingent placed second in the team standings behind only Brazil's 27-medal tally.

2025 Pan Am U15 Championship Results

Earning the top step on the podium with gold medals were Clara Notopradono (San Gabriel, Calif. / Colton Brown Training Center) in the female 44kg, Daniel Lima (Coral Springs, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) in the male 64kg, 13-year-old Felipe Avila (Miami Lakes, Fla. / Budokan Judo School) in the male 36kg and 13-year-old Devin Nishimura (Renton, Wash. / Washington Judo Academy) in the male 40kg.

Lima won four straight matches to take the 64kg title, defeating Brazil's Liam Goulart in the final. Notopradono won all three of her matches, capped by a victory over Brazil's Anna Clara Mendes in the 44kg final. Likewise, Avila and Nishimura went undefeated in their three contests, with Avila topping Ecuador's Jose Teran in the 36kg final and Nishimura besting Brazil's Kaique Furlaneto in the 40kg final.

The two silver medalists for Team USA were Anzor Akmatov (Walnut Creek, Calif.) in the male 44kg division and Taylor Do Carmo (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club) in the male 48kg. The 13-year-old Akmatov registered one of the fastest ippons (instant win) of the tournament, winning his opening match in just nine seconds.

U.S. athletes winning bronze medals at the U15 Pan Am Championships were:

• Alexander Abovyan (Glendale, Calif. / Bulat Training Center / male 36kg)
• Benedict Cordova (Pittsburg, Calif. / IS Kim's Martial Arts / male 40kg)
• Theodore Uruymagov (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Judo Sambo Center / male 64kg)
• Maya Marin (Whittier, Calif. / Harbor Judo Dojo / female 36kg)
• Maribelle Deaver (Fort Myers, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club / female 48kg)
• Emma Alversado (Gardena, Calif. / Harbor Judo Dojo / female 53kg)
• Alyson Soper (Lisbon, Conn. / Top Game Martial Arts / female 64kg)
• Mariana Wing (Clarksville, Tenn. / Tri-Star Judo Team / female 64kg)
• Haleigh Bodin (Van Alstyne, Texas / NTX Judo / female +64kg)

Top eight and U.S. results from the individual event are as follows:

U15 Men’s 36 kg
1. Felipe Avila (Miami Lakes, Fla. / Budokan Judo School)
2. Jose Teran (ECU)
3. Alexander Abovyan (Glendale, Calif. / Bulat Training Center)
3. Iker Solis (ECU)
5. Mason Irvin (Poway, Calif. / San Diego Judo Club)
5. Hendri Rodriguez (DOM)
7. Damian Garrido (ARG)
7. Iker Olalde (MEX)

U15 Men’s 40 kg
1. Devin Nishimura (Renton, Wash. / Washington Judo Academy)
2. Kaique Furlaneto (BRA)
3. Eidan Asitimbay (ECU)
3. Benedict Cordova (Pittsburg, Calif. / IS Kim's Martial Arts)
5. Alan Patino (ECU)
5. Edward Solodkiy (Eatontown, N.J. / Sword Judo Sambo Club)
7. Diego Calderon (CHI)
7. Sayd Tavares (MEX)

U15 Men’s 44 kg
1. Felipe Franca (BRA)
2. Anzor Akmatov (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
3. Ian Merchan (ECU)
3. Jose Perez (MEX)
5. Sebastian Castro (MEX)
5. Prokhor Reshetnikov (CAN)
7. Bruno Herrera (PER)
7. Crisarison Jorge (DOM)
Also Competed: Fabrizzio Teran (Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

U15 Men’s 48 kg
1. Juan Goncalves (BRA)
2. Taylor Do Carmo (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club)
3. William Cardozo (BRA)
3. Joseph Ordonez (ECU)
5. Jheys Morales (ECU)
5. Samuel Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
7. Jose Lau Tam (PER)
7. Joaquin Vera (PER)

U15 Men’s 53 kg
1. Daniel Almeida (BRA)
2. Enzo Souza (BRA)
3. Bolivar Gaona (ECU)
3. Ezequiel Perez (DOM)
5. Emmanuel Cuevas (DOM)
5. Karim Rodriguez (MEX)
7. Cyrus Koukos (Basking Ridge, N.J. / Cranford JKC)
7. Gor Voskerchyan (Porter Ranch, Calif. / Olymp Fight Club)

U15 Men’s 58 kg
1. Pedro Carvalho (BRA)
2. Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez (MEX)
3. Francisco Camacho (MEX)
3. Joao Pedro Santos (BRA)
5. Kalej Galvan (Madison, Wis. / Judo Jujitsu Madison Inc.)
5. Robert Vardanyan (Arleta, Calif. / Hayastan MMA Academy)
7. Jose Landa (MEX)
7. Jethro Soler (COL)

U15 Men’s 64 kg
1. Daniel Lima (Coral Springs, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
2. Liam Goulart (BRA)
3. Arturo Padilla (MEX)
3. Theodore Uruymagov (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Judo Sambo Center)
5. Samuel Dias (BRA)
5. Dereck Salamar (ECU)
7. Slender Anco (PER)
7. Alexander Khurgin (Marlboro, N.J. / Sword Judo Sambo Club)

U15 Men’s +64 kg
1. Felipe Achcar (BRA)
2. Murillo Mota (BRA)
3. Guilherme Fontes (BRA)
3. Jorge Gordillo (ECU)
5. Giovanni Diaz (MEX)
5. Alex Ko (Los Angeles, Calif. / LA Judo Club)
7. Enzo Barbosa (BRA)
7. Landon Williams (Stafford, Va. / High Noon)
Also Competed: Gerardo Huerta (Naples, Fla. / Real Judo of Naples), 0-1

U15 Women’s 36 kg
1. Karoliny Franco (BRA)
2. Naomi Sheridan (BRA)
3. Maya Marin (Whittier, Calif. / Harbor Judo Dojo)
3. Domenika Zhindon (ECU)
5. Hayden Kim (Suwanee, Ga. / Supermaster Kim Judo Academy)
5. Zamira Marquez (MEX)
7. Jaris Reyes (PER)

U15 Women’s 40 kg
1. Gabrielli Casola (BRA)
2. Corina Senjen (ECU)
3. Fernanda Sandoval (MEX)
3. Mirelly Valarezo (ECU)
5. Rudy Silupu (PER)
5. Bella Solis (MEX)

U15 Women’s 44 kg
1. Clara Notopradono (San Gabriel, Calif. / Colton Brown Training Center)
2. Anna Clara Mendes (BRA)
3. Alice Silva (BRA)
3. Ruth Villanueva (PER)
5. Roma Gervassi (PER)
5. Lily Infantado (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club)
7. Sarahi Bonilla (CRC)
7. Alejandra Tovar (MEX)

U15 Women’s 48 kg
1. Micaela Santos (BRA)
2. Maria Eduarda Oliveira (BRA)
3. Maribelle Deaver (Fort Myers, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club / female 48kg)
3. Laressa Tavares (BRA)
5. Ximena Perez (MEX)
5. Daniela Ramirez (MEX)
7. Leah Quevedo (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
7. Anais Vargas (CHI)
Also Competed: Charlie Liles (Webb City, Mo. / Joplin Judo and JiuJitsu), 0-1

U15 Women’s 53 kg
1. Anielly Almeida (BRA)
2. Sofia Pelcastre (MEX)
3. Emma Alversado (Gardena, Calif. / Harbor Judo Dojo)
3. Natalia Chavez (MEX)
5. Isabella Cid (CHI)
5. Alexandra Erb (Adams, Tenn. / Tri-Star Judo Team)
7. Joseffa Huenchuman (CHI)
7. Amanda Torres (CHI)

U15 Women’s 58 kg
1. Julia Goncalves (BRA)
2. Isabela Silva (BRA)
3. Jennifer Guerrero (MEX)
3. Ksenia Oudovikine (CAN)
5. Emma Quepons (La Puente, Calif. / Guerreros Judo Club)
5. Nefertari Tate (Canterbury, Conn. / Top Game Martial Arts)
7. Evangeline Abbott (Rayne, La. / Louisiana Judo)
7. Ana Carolina Santana (BRA)
Also Competed: Keilani Robins (Palo Alto, Calif. / Santa Clara PAL Judo Club), 0-1

U15 Women’s 64 kg
1. Lhaissa Goncalles (BRA)
2. Giovana Rosa (BRA)
3. Alyson Soper (Lisbon, Conn. / Top Game Martial Arts)
3. Mariana Wing (Clarksville, Tenn. / Tri-Star Judo Team / female 64kg)
5. Valentina Elizondo (CRC)
5. Ha Neul Jeong (Los Angeles, Calif. / LA Judo Club)
7. Sofia Gonzalez (MEX)
7. Sanae Leal (CHI)

U15 Women’s +64 kg
1. Caridad Ramos (MEX)
2. Eduarda Almeida (BRA)
3. Haleigh Bodin (Van Alstyne, Texas / NTX Judo)
3. Amytai Santana (BRA)
5. Yadira Algaba (MEX)
5. Saliha Irizarry (Columbus, Ohio / Dojo Attashaabuku)
7. Alexa Guevara (CRC)
7. Isabel Zegarra (PER)