Gold for Yang at Prague Junior European Cup

(Colorado Springs, CO) – A year after finishing second to teammate Chris Velazco, Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / New York Athletic Club) won gold at the Prague Junior European Cup in Czechia on July 4, earning his second career medal in the men's 60 kg division. A total of 455 athletes from 33 countries participated in the two-day tournament.

The top-ranked junior at 60 kg, Yang won all five of his matches en route to the gold medal. He defeated, in order, Aykhan Mirzazada (AZE), Francesco Kirieleison (ITA), Arthur Berger (GER), Vinicius Oliveira (BRA) and Joao Rodrigues (BRA).

"I think the biggest difference is my mental game," said Yang about the progress he's made since last year's event. "I've been spending a lot of time studying the mental aspect of the game and I feel like I was able to fight with a lot of composure and was just present in the moment."

Other top-7 finishes for the U.S. were turned in by Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), who finished fifth in the women's 63 kg competition, and Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center), who placed seventh in the men’s 100 kg division.

The U.S. team now heads to Hungary for the Paks Junior European Cup taking place July 11-12.

Top seven and U.S. results at the Prague Junior European Cup are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg
1. Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / NYAC)
2. Joao Rodrigues (BRA)
3. Luka Omanadze (GEO)
3. Vinicius Oliveira (BRA)
5. Victor Hugo Silva (BRA0
5. Kairat Zhengissuly (KAZ)
7. Arthur Berger (GER)
7. Francesco Crociani (ITA)
Also Competed: Trent Tono (Skokie, Ill. / San Jose State University Judo), 1-1

Men’s 66 kg
1. Oleksandr Martynchuk (UKR)
2. Anes Mati (CAN)
3. Saba Sabashvili (GEO)
3. Mustafa Berat Simsek (TUR)
5. Preslav Nikolov (BUL)
5. Manuel Figueiredo (POR)
7. Adrian Mivovan (FRA)
7. Adris Jakubauskas (LTU)
Also Competed: Omar Echavarria (Miami, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1; Theodore Lehmen (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City Judo Club), 0-1; Adrian Cohen (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club), 0-1.

Men’s 73 kg
1. Lucio Tavoletta (ITA)
2. Abil Yusubov (AZE)
3. Gabriele Piccolo (ITA)
3. Stevan Maitin (SUI)
5. Mehdi Jafarov (AZE)
5. Nursultan Iskakov (KAZ)
7. Yusuf Buluk (TUR)
7. Ivo Dimitrov (BUL)
Also Competed: Domenico Ternullo (Lynn, Mass. / Pedro's Judo Center), 3-2; Ivan Baranau (Levittown, Pa. / Yawara Force), 0-1; Yoav Kogan (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team), 0-1.

Men’s 81 kg
1. Mehdi Abbasov (AZE)
2. Jasur Ibadli (AZE)
3. Tornike Vakhtangadze (GEO)
3. Silas Costa (BRA)
5. Roman Garayev (AZE)
5. Artem Neyolov (CAN)
7. Suleyman Richner (SUI)
7. Henry Roeder (GER)
Also Competed: Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, Pa. / Yawara Force), 1-2; Octavio DeOliveira (Lynnfield, Mass. / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1; Evan Miller (Marion, Ind. / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1; Shota Kundukhashvili (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Caucasus Judo), 0-1.

Men’s 90 kg
1. Cristiano Mincinesi (ITA)
2. Luka Tevdoradze (GEO)
3. Serhii Sokyrko (UKR)
3. Suleyman Shukurov (AZE)
5. Ali Gazimammadov (AZE)
5. Tomass Manfelds (LAT)
7. Imran Gusic (BIH)
7. Lorenzo Enz (SUI)
Also Competed: Nicholas Zadvinskiy (Staten Island, N.Y. / Cranford JKC), 0-1; Taras Petrovskiy (Bothell, Wash. / Washington Judo Academy), 0-1.

Men’s 100 kg
1. Giorgi Gelashvili (GEO)
2. Janpolad Aliyev (AZE)
3. Davud Namazli (AZE)
3. Nikoloz Zaalishvili (GEO)
5. Francesco Mazzon (ITA)
5. David Papukishvili (GEO)
7. Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center)
7. Artur Makarenko (UKR)
Also Competed: Caedmon Haddad (Evergreen, Colo. / USA Judo National Resident Team), 1-1.

Men’s +100 kg
1. Ramazan Ahmadov (AZE)
2. Beibarys Sultan (KAZ)
3. Alexandre Albano II (BRA)
3. Girogi Karchaidze (GEO)
5. Yaroslav Omelchenko (UKR)
5. Minjun Kim (KOR)
7. Oleh Fesenko (UKR)
7. Nikola Markov

Women’s 48 kg
1. Sarah Mendes (BRA)
2. Nargiz Ahmadova (AZE)
3. Miyu Wakabayashi (JPN)
3. Yoojin Lee (KOR)
5. Lena Mayrhofer (AUT)
5. Mariana Pereira (POR)
7. Chiara Cesana (ITA)
7. Liliia Petrenko (UKR)
Also Competed: Alexandra Erb (Adams, Tenn. / Tri-Star Judo Team), 1-2.

Women’s 52 kg
1. Barbara Twarowska (POL)
2. Nicole Marques (BRA)
3. Roza Agumava (GER)
3. India Serafini (ITA)
5. Giulia Bonzano (ITA)
5. Marharyta Miroshnichenko (UKR)
7. Farida Mirzayeva (AZE)
7. Elodie Fourniat (FRA)
Also Competed: Mackenzie McPherson (Miramar, Fla. / Budokan Judo School), 0-2; Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, Calif. / San Gabriel Judo Dojo), 0-1.

Women’s 57 kg
1. Neonila Momot (UKR)
2. Luna Semoud (GER)
3. Khadizha Gadashova (AZE)
3. Alice Martellacci (ITA)
5. Giulia Sorelli (ITA)
5. Larissa Menezes (BRA)
7. Marketa Korcakova (CZE)
7. Victoria Frade (BRA)
Also Competed: Harlee Hiller (Evanston, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club), 2-2; Elsa Clark (Potomac, Md. / USA Judo National Resident Team), 0-1.

Women’s 63 kg
1. Toa Orimo (JPN)
2. Giorgia Frosoni (ITA)
3. Carla Van Zyl (CAN)
3. Manuela Maia (BRA)
5. Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
5. Helena Rottenhofer (AUT)
7. Jieon Yang (KOR)
7. Maila Pagliaro (ITA)
Also Competed: Ellianna Abbott (Rayne, La. / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-1; Evangeline Abbott (Rayne, La. / Louisiana Judo), 0-1.

Women’s 70 kg
1. Liudmyla Vozniuk (UKR)
2. Giorgia Grassi (ITA)
3. Chiharu Morino (JPN)
3. Clarisse Vallim (BRA)
5. Sophia Camara (BRA)
5. Charlie Thibault (CAN)
7. Maria Julia Couto Hottis (ITA)
7. Nadine Jaafar (BUL)

Women’s 78 kg
1. Kokoro Otawa (JPN)
2. Misuzu Katsumata (JPN)
3. Jeanne Menanteau (FRA)
3. Johanna Elisabeth Klinger (BIH)
5. Marie Kosnarova (CZE)
5. Ana Besker (CRO)
7. Lucia Magli (ITA)
7. Eva Johannessen (NOR)

Women’s +78 kg
1. Tomoka Inoue (JPN)
2. Sakura Nagasato (JPN)
3. Ana Soares (BRA)
3. Bleuene Heurteau (FRA)
5. Anna Samoliuk (UKR)
5. Olivia Oliveira (BRA)
7. Tessa Ebona (SUI)
7. Seungjin Lee (KOR)