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U.S. Wins Three Medals at Pan Am Kata Championships

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by Bill Kellick

The U.S. Kata Team at the Pan American Championships in Cancun, Mexico, on Septemberr 11, 2025. (Photo by Kim Mesa)

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Team USA had three medal-winning pairs at the Pan American Kata Championships in Cancun, Mexico, on September 11.

Athletes from Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Argentina, Mexico Venezuela and the United States competed in the judged forms competition that included mixed teams in each of the five events.

Twin sisters Brynn Buskerud (North Bend, Ore. / Shipyard Judo) and Haley Buskerud (North Bend, Ore. / Shipyard Judo) won gold in the Junior Ju No Kata with a score of 378.5. Silver medals were won by the pair of Lori Latimer (Upper Darby, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) and Christine Levine (Philadelphia, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) in Senior Jo No Kata, and by the team of David Hammer (Haslet, Texas / Okuri Judo) and Noe Mesa (Fort Worth, Texas / Okuri Judo) in Junior Nage No Kata.

The U.S. Kata Team included 19 athletes competing in six events in Mexico as they prepare for the Kata World Championships in Paris, France, November 8-9.

Complete results are as follows:

Ju No Kata - Junior
1. Brynn Buskerud (North Bend, Ore. / Shipyard Judo) and Haley Buskerud (North Bend, Ore. / Shipyard Judo) - 378.5
2. Edwin Gomez and Gerardo Restrepo (COL) - 153

Ju No Kata - Senior
1. Roberto Carlos Pereira and Nadia Hissako Hori (BRA) - 400.5
2. Lori Latimer (Upper Darby, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) and Christine Levine (Philadelphia, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) - 381
3. Edgar Sebastian Lopez and Sebastian Camilo Cuervo (COL) - 371
4. Fred Dagdagan (Los Angeles, Calif. / Sawtelle Judo Dojo) and Lee Pasteris (Los Angeles, Calif. / Sawtelle Judo Dojo) - 365.5
5. Grace Hossler (Penfield, N.Y.) and Molly Sauter (Penfield, N.Y.) - 365
6. Shane LeGros and Dan Rusu (CAN) - 360.5
7. Laura Maria Jaramillo and Pamela Hernandez Ortiz (COL) - 359.5
8. Emerson Da Silva Lima and Andre Luis Amoroso de Lima (BRA) - 359

Kodokan Goshin Jutsu - Senior
1. Junior Jeffrey Hernandez and Cristian Camilo Ortiz (COL) - 502
2. Roberto Rahamut and Yulder Estiver Gil (COL) - 497
3. Pablo Esteban Surace and Abel Benedetto (ARG) - 489
4. Allyn Takahashi and Tony Walby (CAN) - 486
5. Doug Newcomer (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr Optimist Judo Club) and Fiston Kabuya (North Richland Hills, Texas / Fort Worth Judo Club) - 483
6. Kristin El Idrissi (Melrose Park, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) and Christine Levine (Philadelphia, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) - 479

Kime No Kata - Senior
1. Junior Jeffrey Hernandez and Cristian Camilo Ortiz (COL) - 486.5
2. Shane LeGros and Dan Rusu (CAN) - 480
3. Gustave Andres Leon and Anyinzan Palacio Giraldo (COL) - 446.5
4. Adrian Ruiz Mondragon and Carlos Alberto Garcia Montes de Oca (MEX) - 378.5

Nage No Kata - Junior
1. Isack Berger and Jean-Sebastien Roy (CAN) - 365
2. David Hammer (Haslet, Texas / Okuri Judo) and Noe Mesa (Fort Worth, Texas / Okuri Judo) - 301.5

Nage No Kata - Senior
1. Edwin Gomez Cavanzo and Gerardo Andres Restrepo (COL) - 390
2. Edgar Sebastian Lopez and Sebastian Camilo Cuervo (COL) - 378
3. Juan Diego Londono and Juan Diego Caicedo Restrepo (COL) - 360.5
4. Angel Gerardo Harry Maiz and Jender Gabriel Guevara Ramos (VEN) - 314
5. Jonathan Kivel (Rochester, N.Y.) and Lynn Graham (Marion, N.Y.) - 312

Katame No Kata - Junior
1. Juan Manuel Valencia and Carlos Eduardo Galvez (COL) - 365

Katame No Kata - Senior
1. Laura Maria Jaramillo and Pamela Hernandez Ortiz (COL) - 372.5
2. Juan Diego Londono Escobar and Juan Diego Caicedo Restrepo (COL) - 371.5
3. Emerson Da Silva Lima and Andre Luis Amoroso de Lima (BRA) - 364
4. Doug Newcomer (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr Optimist Judo Club) and Jayme Kiraly (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr Optimist Judo Club) - 358.5
5. Gustave Andres Leon and Anyinzan Palacio Giraldo (COL) - 356
6. Pablo Esteban Surace and Abel Benedetto (ARG) - 353.5
7. Mary Wakabayashi (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and Pamela Moye (Los Angeles, Calif. / Sawtelle Judo Dojo) - 325
8. Angel Gerardo Harry Maiz and Jender Gabriel Guevara Ramos (VEN) - 314
9. Kristin El Idrissi (Melrose Park, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) and Lori Latimer (Upper Darby, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) - 311
10. Deborah Lisbeth Garza Tapia and Elias Alejandro Lozano Nevarez (MEX) - 302