(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Two members of Team USA reached the podium at the first IBSA Grand Prix of the year with Paralympians Christella Garcia (Sacramento, CA) and Liana Mutia (Philadelphia, PA / El Idrissi Judo Academy) winning gold and bronze, respectively.

Competing in the J1 +70 kg competition, Garcia had only two competitors in her event, but upset a pair of 2022 IBSA World Championship medalists en route to claiming gold. In her first match, Garcia armbarred 2022 World bronze medalist Danitza Yoccelin Sanabria Alcala (VEN). In the next round, 2022 World silver medalist Erika Zoaga (BRA) threw Garcia for a waza-ari (half-point) score, but Garcia took control of the ground game, pinning Zoaga for ippon (instant win).

Mutia, the reigning IBSA World Championships bronze medalist in the J1 57 kg event, threw Maria Manzanero Ruiz (ESP) twice in the quarter-finals – first off the grip for a waza-ari and again for a second waza-ari to end the match in the opening minute. In the semifinals, Mutia was countered by 2022 IBSA World Champion Dondu Yesilyurt (TUR) who threw Mutia for a waza-ari in the second minute. Mutia battled Yesilyurt for the remainder of regulation, but couldn’t secure a score and Yesilyurt went on to win both the match and would end the day with a gold medal. In the bronze medal finals, Mutia threw Ina Cernei (MDA) off the grip for a waza-ari in the opening seconds of the match and took a second waza-ari to end the match in the opening minute.

Two-time Paralympians Ben Goodrich (St. Paul, Minn. / U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center) and Katie Davis (Sacramento, CA / Team Sacramento Judo) each fought for bronze, but fell one win short of the podium with fifth-place finishes.

Goodrich, who won silver at the Tokyo Games, drew a bye into the quarters where he pinned 2022 Antalya Grand Prix silver medalist Galymzhan Smagululy (KAZ) twice in the match – first for a waza-ari in the opening minute and again for a waza-ari in the final minute. In the semis, Goodrich was thrown twice in the opening minute by Jung Min Lee (KOR) – a two-time Paralympic medalist at 81 kg who moved up to 90 kg after the Tokyo Games and went on to win gold in Portugal. In the bronze medal final, 2022 Antalya Grand Prix medalist Evan Molloy (GBR) threw Goodrich for a waza-ari in the second minute and moved straight into a pin to take the win.

Davis was thrown for a waza-ari score by 2022 IBSA European Championships medalist Prescillia Leze (FRA) and was eliminated from the quarters with three penalties. In a rematch of their bronze medal final at the 2022 IBSA World Championships, Davis faced 2020 Paralympic medalist Meg Emmerich (BRA) who choked Davis to win the match.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

J1 Men’s 60 kg
1. Elielton De Oliveira (BRA)
2. Miguel Vieira (POR)
3. Marcos Dennis Blanco (VEN)
3. Roberto Nunes Da Paixao (BRA)

J1 Men’s 73 kg
1. Lennart Sass (GER)
2. Hartley Damiao Pereira Arruda (BRA)
3. Mamatibraim Suranov (KGZ)
3. Dong Dong Camanni (ITA)
5. Gokce Yavuz (TUR)
5. Yergali Shamey (KAZ)
7. Connah Anders (GBR)
7. Mishiko Shiobrishvili (GEO)

J1 Men’s 90 kg
1. Arthur Cavalcante Da Silva (BRA)
2. Antonio Da Silva (BRA)
3. Yasin Cimciler (TUR)
3. Daniel Powell (GBR)
5. Valerio Romano Teodori (ITA)
5. Gokhan Bicer (TUR)
7. Eduard Tropinov (UKR)
7. Norbert Foris (HUN)

J1 Men’s +90 kg
1. Romuald Raboteur (FRA)
2. Onur Tastan (TUR)
3. Ion Basoc (MDA)
3. Wilians De Araujo (BRA)
4. Jason Grandry (FRA)
4. Yerlan Utepov (KAZ)

J2 Men’s 60 kg
1. Anuar Sariyev (KAZ)
2. Nukri Migrijanashvili (GEO)
3. Luis Daniel Gavilan Lorenzo (ESP)
3. Min Jae Lee (KOR)
5. Thiego Da Silva (BRA)
5. Alikhan Dzhumagulov (KGZ)
7. Bryan Gerardo Aburto Beltran (MEX)
7. Justin Karn (CAN)

Also Competed: Ron Hawthorne (Kansas City, KS / Black Ice Judo / Waka Mu Sha), 0-1

J2 Men’s 73 kg
1. Olzhas Orazalyuly (KAZ)
2. Nathan Petit (FRA)
3. Recep Ciftci (TUR)
3. Osvaldas bareikis (LTU)
5. Bachuki Shelia 9GEO)
4. Donghoon Kim (KOR)
7. Daniel Vargoczki (ROU)
7. Nuno Rocha (POR)

J2 Men’s 90 kg
1. Jung Min Lee (KOR)
2. Marcelo Casanova (BRA)
3. Evan Molloy (GBR)
3. Oleksandr Nazarenko (UKR)
5. Benjamin Goodrich (St. Paul, MN / U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center)
5. Dmytro Solovey (UKR)
7. Zhanbota Amanzhol (KAZ)
7. Galymzhan Smagululy (KAZ)

Also Competed: Ricky Ties (Rochester, MN), 0-1

J2 Men’s +90 kg
1. Christopher Skelley (GBR)
2. Sergio Junior (BRA)
3. Yerlan Konkiyev (KAZ)

J1 Women’s 48 kg
1. Khaiitkhon Khusan Kyzy (KGZ)
2. Ecem Tasin Cavdar (TUR)
3. Rosicleide De Andrade (BRA)

J1 Women’s 57 kg
1. Dondu Yesilyurt (TUR)
2. Anzhela Havrysiuk (UKR)
3. Priscilla Gagne (CAN)
3. Liana Mutia (Philadelphia, PA / El Idrissi Judo Academy)
5. Asia Giordano (ITA)
5. Ina Cernel (MDA)
7. Maria Manzanero Ruiz (ESP)
7. Christina Mowatt (CAN)

J1 Women’s 70 kg
1. Nicolina Pernheim Goodrich (SWE)
2. Brenda Souza De Freitas (BRA)
3. Matilde Lauria (ITA)

J1 Women’s +70 kg
1. Christella Garcia (Sacramento, CA / Tohkon Judo Academy)
2. Erika Zoaga (BRA)
3. Danitza Yoccelin Sanabria Alcala (VEN)

J2 Women’s 48 kg
1. 1. Sandrine Aurieres Martinet (FRA)
2. Yuliia Ivanytska (UKR)

J2 Women’s 57 kg
1. Inna Sych (UKR)
2. Marta Arce Payno (ESP)
3. Lucia Araujo (BRA)
3. Liudmyla Yakymchuk (UKR)

J2 Women’s 70 kg
1. Alana Maldonado (BRA)
2. Kazusa Ogawa (JPN)

J2 Women’s +70 kg
1. Carolina Costa (ITA)
2. Rebeca Silva (BRA)
3. Prescillia Leze (FRA)
3. Meg Emmerich BRA)
5. Kirsten Taylor (GBR)
5. Katie Davis (Sacramento, CA / Team Sacramento Judo)

Christella Garcia and Liana Mutia Win Gold and Bronze at IBSA Portugal Grand Prix

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