Teran Becomes United States' Second Cadet World Champion
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by Bill Kellick
Sebastian Teran (Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center) became the second Cadet World Champion for the United States in the last three years, and third medalist overall on Thursday as he captured the gold medal in the male 55 kg division at the Cadet World Judo Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He joins Jonathan Yang as the only other U.S. Cadet World Champion. Yang won the title in 2024, two years after David Leiva became the first American medalist, winning a bronze in 2022.
"I’m still going through the emotions but I'm super happy with how I fought today; that was my main goal," said Teran after receiving his gold medal. "It's big progression from last year and next year is going to be even better. Hearing the American anthem from the top of the podium while representing the U.S. is a really big feeling, the best feeling in the world.”The 16-year-old Teran, world No. 1 and top seed in the male 55 kg division, reached Thursday's final with three consecutive victories over Juan Alamo Torres (ARG), Farid Khudiyev (AZE) and Tamerlan Unezhev (RUS).
In the round-of-16 match against Torres, Teran controlled the action from the start, scoring two yukos (partial points) in the opening minute and adding a waza-ari (half point) in the second minute while holding the Argentinian scoreless (watch match video).
Teran's strong defense continued in the quarterfinal against Khudiyev as he once again held his opponent scoreless while scoring a yuko in the third minute and ending the match by pinning Khudiyev in the final 15 seconds for an ippon (instant win) (watch match video).
The semifinal contest against Unezhev was a more closely contested match, with neither judoka able to score in the four minutes of regulation. Then, in Golden Score (sudden death overtime), Teran appeared to score the winning point on a waza-ari in the opening 20 seconds, but it was waived off after review. Undeterred, Teran regrouped to score the winning yuko just 30 seconds later to secure his spot in the final (watch match video).
Teran kept his scoreless streak intact in the final, keeping Narek Davtyan (ARM) off the scoreboard and scoring the winning waza-ari early in the third minute of action (watch match video).
Also in action for Team USA on Wednesday’s opening day were three athletes competing in their first Cadet World Championships.
In the women's 44kg competition, 14-year-old Lily Infantado (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club) matched up with Ninon Joly (FRA) in the round of 32. Joly took the match to the ground in the second minute to secure a pin on Infantado for the ippon.
In the men's 50kg division, Jannaco Searcy (Atlanta, Ga. / Black Ice Judo), 17, faced Adilzhan Nurbeken (KAZ) in the round of 16. Nurbeken ended the contest 50 seconds in by throwing Searcy for ippon, and went on to claim the silver medal.
The final U.S. competitor of the day, 15-year-old Alexandra Erb (Adams, Tenn. / Tri-Star Judo Team), took Zoe Element (CAN) into the fourth minute of their round of 32 match in the women's 48 kg division before the Canadian secured the victory by scoring her second waza-ari.
Competition continues on Friday with eight Americans in action: Mackenzie McPherson (Miramar, Fla. / Budokan Judo Club in South Florida) and Madison Nguyen (Sunland, Calif. / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo) in the women’s 52 kg; Aubrey Genereux (Port St. Lucie, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) and Anna Babenko (Shrewsbury, Mass. / Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling) in the women's 57 kg; Logyn Lynn Puahala (Aiea, Hawaii / Hawaii Kaikaku Judo Club) in the women's 63 kg; Daniel Lima (Coral Springs, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) in the men's 66 kg; and Sascha Lievano (Berkeley, Calif. / Griffin Performance Judo) and Mihail Belyakov (Staten Island, N.Y. / Colton Brown Training Center) in the men's 73 kg.
Top eight and U.S. results from Day 1 are as follows:
Women’s 40 kg
1. Irode Sirojiddinova (UZB)
2. Adiya Zhanakhmet (KAZ)
3. Ana Mikaele Alcantara (BRA)
3. Emiliia Saifutdinova (RUS)
5. Sunay Salamova (AZE)
5. Sofia Palamarenko (UKR)
7. Jade Barray (FRA)
7. Havva Sena Tokmak (TUR)
Men’s 50 kg
1. Farid Rzazade (AZE)
2. Adilzhan Nurbeken (KAZ)
3. Bekarys Kudaibergen (KAZ)
3. Andrea Hoffmann (FRA)
5. Saba Nozadze (GEO)
5. Arthur Bonato (BRA)
7. Emiliano Garcia (ECU)
7. Klaas Heimans (NED)
Also Competed: Jannaco Searcy (Atlanta, Ga. / Black Ice Judo), 0-1
Women’s 44 kg
1. Regina Akhtiamova (RUS)
2. Sema Nur Yuksel (TUR)
3. Julia Blaszczyk (POL)
3. Alina Kolucheva (UZB)
5. Amin-Erdene Tsogbadrakh (MGL)
5. Yagmur Yilmazturk (TUR)
7. Fenne Peeters (BEL)
7. Ting-Yu Shen (TPE)
Also Competed: Lily Infantado (Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Chief Pride Judo Club), 0-1
Men’s 55 kg
1. Sebastian Teran (Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center)
2. Narek Davtyan (ARM)
3. Noham Benkrouidem (FRA)
3. Bobur Yusupov (UZB)
5. Vitalii Lykhohliad (UKR)
5. Tamerlan Unezhev (RUS)
7. Farid Khudiyev (AZE)
7. Ibrahim Talibov (AZE)
Women’s 48 kg
1. Ella Bar Lev (ISR)
2. Maelys Dapa (BEL)
3. Agam Sol Noy (ISR)
3. Charos Hikmatova (UZB)
5. Micaela Santos (BRA)
5. Anna-Mariia Orishchenko (RUS)
7. Ludovica Storione (ITA)
7. Eva Moreno Torres (ESP)
Also Competed: Alexandra Erb (Adams, Tenn. / Tri-Star Judo Team), 0-1
Men’s 60 kg
1. Rassulkhan Gabit (KAZ)
2. Roman Semyrozum (CAN)
3. Enkhtur Jamiyan (MGL)
3. Akhmet Baubek (KAZ)
5. Davaabaatar Amgalanbaatar (MGL)
5. Daichi Tashiro (JPN)
7. Khazar Heydarov (UKR)
7. Sanzhar Abdyldaev (KGZ)
