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Matsumoto Earns Second Bronze in a Week
By Nicole Jomantas // USA Judo // June 25, 2007
 (Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute / 48kg) won her second bronze medal in two stops on the Pan American Circuit on Friday at the Simon Bolivar Cup in Isla de Margarita, Venezuela.
Matsumoto, a seven-time National Champion, who also won bronze at the FEDOJUDO International Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic last Saturday, advanced to the semifinals before losing to Paula Pareto (ARG) who Matsumoto defeated last year to win bronze at the Pan American Championships.
In the bronze medal match Matsumoto beat Rosmelyn Rodriguez (VEN).
The division was won by reigning World and Pan Am Champion Yanet Bermoy (CUB). Pareto finished second and 2007 Pan Am medalist Lisseth Orozco (COL) finished third.
On Saturday two more U.S. athletes will compete: Anna Palmer (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 52kg) and Kenny Hashimoto (Thornton, Colo. / Northglenn / 66kg).
Palmer, a bronze medalist at the USA Judo Senior National Championships in April, won her first international tournament last week in Santo Domingo. Her draw includes a first round match against Brazil. Sheila Espinosa (CUB), the 2007 Pan Am and Paris Super World Cup Champion, also is in the draw, but on the opposite side of Palmer.
Hashimoto, the #2 U.S. player in the division, has a first round against a Venezuelan opponent. The opposite side of the draw includes players from Chile, Argentina and Colombia, among others
For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at 719.866.4732 or Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.
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