ISLE FILE
Takata on gold rush in judo competition
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i's Taylor Takata defeated Nate Torra in overtime to win gold in 66 kilograms (145 pounds) Saturday at the FEDOJUDO International Cup in Santo Domingo.
It was a rematch of the 2006 Senior Nationals final, also won by Takata.
Takata is a 2000 'Iolani graduate from Wahiawa. He now trains at the USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen, Texas. Torra is from El Cerrito, Calif.
Takata, a two-time Pan American Games champion, will compete at the 2007 Pan Am Games July 19 to 22 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Team USA qualified in 13 of 14 weight divisions (all but 52 kg).
Takata was coming off a gold-medal performance earlier this month at the II Copa Yaniro Ramos Vigil in San Salvador.
BOXING
FIGHTERS QUALIFY
By reaching the quarterfinals at the U.S. Championships earlier this month in Colorado Springs, Hawai'i boxers Keola McKee (Wailuku) and Bruno Escalante (Waimanalo) qualified for the Olympic Trials in August.
McKee won his first two fights at 106 pounds before falling in the semifinals. Escalante, fighting at 112 pounds, fell to 2004 Olympian Rau'shee Warren after winning twice.
Mililani's Colleen Loo reached the final of the women's 101-pound division, losing to Iowa's Sadie Roberts, 25-21.
McKee and Escalante are freshmen at Northern Michigan and train with the United States Olympic Education Center on the campus. It is one of four Olympic training centers in the country and the only one located on a college campus.
WRESTLING
IOKIA GARNERS BRONZE
Maui's Shyla Iokia took third at the U.S. World Team Trials, held earlier this month in Las Vegas.
Iokia beat Kelsey Campbell, 0-1, 3-0, 2-0, to win the 59-kilogram (130 pounds) division.
Cherae Pascua, from O'ahu, fell in the 55-kilogram (121 pounds) bronze-medal match to Amy Borgnini. The scores were 5-0 and 2-0.
Iokia, Pascua and Borgnini are all residents at the United States Olympic Education Center on the Northern Michigan campus.
Honolulu's Sadie Kaneda, also training at USOEC, reached the quarterfinals in the 48-kilogram (106 pounds) class. Kaneda then reached the consolation semifinals before falling to Roosevelt graduate Clarissa Chun, who captured the bronze medal.
Moanalua graduate Stephanie Lee took second in the 72-kilogram (158 pounds) division.
VOLLEYBALL
Stanley lifts U.S.
Honolulu's Clay Stanley scored 22 points, on 19 kills, two blocks and an ace, to lead the U.S. Men's National team to a 25-19, 30-28, 25-23 victory over Italy Saturday. The FIVB World League victory came before 3,720 at Chicago State.
The match lasted less than 90 minutes against an Italian squad that has lost five starters to injury and illness.
The win improved the United States' World League record to 6-2 as it strengthened its hold on the lead in Pool B. Italy fell to 2-4. France defeated Japan Saturday to maintain second place in the pool at 4-3.
Brazil, Russia and Bulgaria lead the other pools. The U.S. travels to Kumamoto, Japan, this weekend.
PREPS
COACHES SOUGHT
Saint Louis School has openings for a junior varsity head boys soccer coach and a junior varsity boys assistant soccer coach.
Interested applicants can send resumes to Todd Los Banos, Saint Louis Athletic Director, 3142 Wai'alae Ave., Honolulu, 96816. Resumes can also be faxed to 739-4823.
Also, Maryknoll School has openings for girls basketball coaches at the junior varsity, intermediate and elementary school levels.
Interested applicants can send their resumes to athletics@marykollschool.org or fax to 952-7371 by Aug. 31.
