Berliner Makes Run to Senior Worlds Round of 16

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Competing in his fourth Senior World Championships, 26-year-old Ari Berliner (Schenectady, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center) made the deepest run of his career at the event as he reached the round of 16 on the second day of the OTP Bank World Senior Championships in Budapest on Saturday.

2025 Senior World Championships Live Stream and Results

Berliner opened the action in the men's 66 kg division with a round of 64 victory over Miguel Gago (POR), scoring a yuko in the opening seconds of Golden Score (sudden death overtime) to advance to the round of 32.

In his round of 32 match against Boyan Yotov (BUL), Berliner went to the mat late in the second minute and secured an armbar to win by ippon (instant win).

Facing two-time Olympian and Senior World bronze medalist Walide Khyar (FRA) in the round of 16, Khyar was able to land a throw for waza-ari (half point) in the third minute, followed by a yuko in the closing seconds to notch the victory. He would go on to a fifth-place finish in the division.

Also competing in the men's 66 kg division on Saturday was first-time Senior Worlds competitor Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club / 66 kg). Yang drew a tough assignment in his round of 64 opening match, facing 2024 Olympian and world bronze medalist Luukas Saha (FIN), who entered the tournament ranked 18th in the world. In the match's second minute, Saha was able to secure a yoko shiho gatame (mat hold) to pin Yang for 20 seconds and gain the victory.

Jenna Schurr (Torrance, Calif. / 52 kg) also saw her first Senior Worlds action on Saturday in the women's 52 kg competition. Following a first-round bye, Schurr faced Francine Echevarria (PUR) in the round of 32. The match went into the fourth minute before Echevarria threw Schurr for ippon to end the contest.

The third day of competition on Sunday will feature 2024 Olympian Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC) and six-time Senior World Team member Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo) competing for Team USA in the men's 73 kg and women's 57 kg divisions, respectively.

Saturday's top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 66 kg
1. Takeshi Takeoka (JPN)
2. Nurali Emomali (TJK)
3. Obid Dzhebov (TJK)
3. Hifumi Abe (JPN)
5. Walide Khyar (FRA)
5. Orlando Polanco (CUB)
7. Narmandakh (UAE)
7. Gusman Kyrgyzbayev (KAZ)
Also Competed: Ari Berliner (Schenectady, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center), 2-1; Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club / 66 kg), 0-1

Women’s 52 kg
1. Uta Abe (JPN)
2. Distria Krasniqi (KOS)
3. Roza Gyertyas (HUN)
3. Mascha Ballhaus (GER)
5. Ariane Toro Soler (ESP)
5. Kisumi Omori (JPN)
7. Kelly Deguchi (CAN)
7. Reka Pupp (HUN)
Also Competed: Jenna Schurr (Torrance, Calif. / 52 kg), 0-1