Senior World Championships Begin Friday in Budapest

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Thirteen members of Team USA will compete at the Senior World Championships in Budapest from June 13-19. The tournament features 556 athletes from 93 nations.

2025 Senior World Championships Live Stream and Results

By the IJF Sport and Organization Rules, all athletes competing at the Senior World Championships must be ranked in the top nine of each gender of the top 100 on the Senior World Ranking List (as of May 12), or in the top 16 on the Junior World Ranking List (as of May 15).

The U.S. squad includes seven returning members of Senior World Championship Teams as well as six athletes making their Senior World debuts in Budapest.

Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) is the top-ranked American, entering the contest ranked 11th at 48 kg. A 2014 bronze medalist for her native Cuba, the 34-year-old Laborde will be competing at her sixth Senior World Championships and the 2024 Olympian will be one of Team USA’s top candidates for a position on the podium in Budapest. Laborde will face world #63 Konul Aliyeva (AZE) in her opening match.

Twenty-two-year-old Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC) is the top-ranked American male, coming in at #15 on the world ranking list in the 73 kg division. The 2024 Olympian captured back-to-back Junior World medals in 2022 and 2023 and will be competing in his fourth straight Senior World Championships this year. Yonezuka has a first-round bye and will face the winner of the match between world #50 Joshua Green (IRL) and world #89 Jerome Assafoua Zelman (CIV).

Fellow Paris 2024 Olympian John Jayne (Chicago, Ill.) currently sits 31st on the world ranking list for the 90 kg category. Jayne will be taking part in his fifth consecutive Senior World Championships and also has three Junior World Championship appearances on his international resume, including a 5th place in 2017. Jayne has a bye into the second round where he will face world #92 Peng-Yu Chen (TPE).

At just 24 years of age, Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo) will be making her sixth appearance at the Senior World Championships to go along with her three Junior World Championships and one Cadet World Championship. Holguin is currently ranked 32nd in the 57 kg category. Holguin also has a first-round bye and awaits the winner of the match between world #66 Ana Rosa (DOM) and world #34 Daria Kurbonmamadova (IJF).

Other returning Senior World Team members include David Terao (Falls Church, Va.), making his second appearance in two years and ranked 45th at 60 kg, Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center) also returning from the 2024 squad at 70 kg, and Ari Berliner (Cumming, Ga., / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center) making his fourth Senior World Team at 66 kg.

Terao faces world #18 and five-time Grand Slam medalist Magzhan Shamshadin (KAZ) in his opening match. Myers, #63 in the world, draws #26 Irene Pedrotti (ITA) in the opening round. Berliner matches up against world #81 Miguel Gago (POR) in his initial contest.

The six newcomers are led by 18-year-old Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo). The 2024 Cadet World Champion is ranked 42nd in the senior 60 kg class. His brother, Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo) will take to the mat in the 66 kg competition. Also making their Senior World debuts will be Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro’s Judo Center) in the 81 kg division, Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Nakano Judo Academy) in the 90 kg division, Jared Causse (Westminster, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo) in the 100 kg division, and Jenna Schurr (Torrance, Calif.) in the 52 kg division.

Following a first-round bye, #42-ranked Jonathan Yang will draw #59-ranked Yolk Kazirbyek (MGL) to open his first Senior Worlds. Jacob Yang will face 2024 Olympian and world bronze medalist Luukas Saha (FIN), who is ranked 18th in the world. Silot, ranked #60, will match up against #66 Gadzhimurad Omarov (UAE). Nyzhnyk faces world #12 and 2025 Baku Grand Slam silver medalist Marcelo Fronckowiak (BRA). Causse, at #68, will match up against 14th-ranked two-time Olympian and world bronze medalist Gennaro Pirelli (ITA), while Schurr faces world #71 Francine Echevarria (PUR) in her opening contest.

Team USA’s roster and schedule are as follows:

Friday, June 13
Women’s 48 kg:
Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)

Men’s 60 kg:
David Terao (Falls Church, Va.)
Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo)

Saturday, June 14
Women’s 52 kg:
Jenna Schurr (Torrance, Calif.)

Men’s 66 kg:
Ari Berliner (Schenectady, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center)
Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo)

Sunday, June 15
Women’s 57 kg:
Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo)

Men’s 73 kg:
Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC)

Monday, June 16
Men’s 81 kg:
Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro’s Judo Center)

Tuesday, June 17
Women’s 70 kg:
Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center)

Men’s 90 kg:
John Jayne (Chicago, Ill.)
Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Nakano Judo Academy)

Wednesday, June 18
Men’s +100 kg
Jared Causse (Westminster, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo)