Swift Current hosts first judo tournament in five years
Swift Current Judo Club athletes had a chance to compete at home for the first time in five years during a well attended tournament on February 18.
The day long competition attracted a total of 148 judokans from across Saskatchewan, in addition to a contingent of Alberta competitors from Raymond, Red Deer, and Med. Hat.
Swift Current Judo Club head coach Nancy Jewitt-filteau said the hometown tournament was a good opportunity to give young club members a taste of competition.
In order to make competition less intimidating for the youngest members, white belt judo competitors in both the under 10 and under 12 years of age categories do not have to compete in stand up judo. These more novice club members compete in Newaza, a fun atmosphere competition which focusses on ground work so they do not have to worry about being thrown.
“The kids all worked hard. Actually, I was really impressed with some of the fighting,” Jewitt-filteau said of the 14 local competitors that were in action on Saturday. “I’m happy with the way they fought.”
The tournament also placed the under 10 and under 12 age competitors in round robin pools in order to give them a longer exposure to competition. In the past, some of these young athletes were frustrated by not getting a lot of mat time during a traditional double knockout competition.
As the club has not hosted a tournament in a number of years, Jewitt-filteau chuckled that there were some learning moments in putting the event on.
“We haven’t had a tournament here for about five years, so this is the first one we’ve had in a while. So there have definitely been growing pains.”
She was especially appreciative of the support from members of the SCCHS Wrestling Team, who assisted with time keeping and set up and tear down at their Walker Place host venue.
After a year of training, the coming weeks are an important portion of their schedule. There will be a beginner tournament in Prince Albert on March 4, some club members will be attending the Edmonton International Championship on March 10 to 12, and the highlight of the year will be the Judo Sask Provincial Championship in Battleford on March 25. One of the season’s final events will be a Judo Sask Goodwill Camp on March 31 to April 2 in Moose Jaw.
Swift Current Judo Tournament Results Ne Waza Under 10
-23.9 kg. - Matthew Huang, Regina Y; Tydon Moen, Swift Current; Wyatt Berger, Watrous; Emereese Kurpjuwert, Med. Hat.
-26.3 kg - Oesa Haase, Pense; Anthony Chilibeck, Saskatoon Y; Aadin Driedger, Swift Curent; Rori Jade Brochu, Red Deer.
-27 kg. - Andrew Iwaasa, Raymond; Sahara Kaip, Avonhurst; Christopher Cooledge, Swift Current; Kash Brust, Lloydminster.
-32 kg. - Jace Schindel, Swift Current; Parker Banks, Avonhurst; Connor Casson, Swift Current; Rece Schindel, Swift Current; Navaya Back, Watrous.
+32 kg. - Makayla Terry, Watrous; Raphael Raji-oyewold, Senshudokan; Kaison Skeoch, Moose Jaw; Raylin Jones, Red Deer; Zion Turner, Senshudokan.
Under 12
-29.6 kg - Lincoln Schow, Med. Hat; Jack Mcalpine, Med. Hat; Cane Brust, Lloydminster; Joey Irwin, Vibank; Sam Burton, Battleford.
+30 kg. - William Markon, Moose Jaw; Malakai Kurpjawert, Med. Hat; Everett Penny, Swift Current; Tori Hallam, Swift Current; Judo Litzenberger, South Corman Park.
Under 12/Under 14 Mixed gender
Declyn Keays, Prince Albert; Judah Kurpjawert, Med. Hat.
Tachi Waza Under 10 Mixed Gender
-26.9 kg. - Matthew Huang, Regina Y; Wyatt Berger, Watrous; Rori Jade Brochu, Red Deer; Andrew Iwaasa, Raymond; Sahara Kaip, Avonhurst.
+28 kg. - Jace Schindel, Swift Current; Parker Banks, Avonhurst; Rece Schindel, Swift Current; Navaya Back, Watrous; Makayla Terry, Watrous.
Under 12 Mixed Gender
-28 kg. - Jack Mcalpine, Med. Hat; Sam Burton, Battleford; Eldon Li, Avonhurst; Cane Brust, Lloydminster.
-32 kg. - Joey Irwin, Vibank; Avery Gibney, Moose Jaw; William Markon, Moose Jaw; Benjamin Pady, Vibank.
-33.5 kg. - Everertt Penny, Swift Current; Grady Henderson, Swift Current; Berkley Prokopetz, Pense; Tori Hallam, Swift Current.
-38 kg. - Jude Litzenberger, South Corman Park; Harman Haase, Pense; Kiana Ivey, Med. Hat; Leann Huang, Regina Y.
+50 kg. - Declyn Keays, Prince Albert; Emilie Gatin, Regina Y
Under 14 Female
-32 kg. - Gold - Brynn Iwaasa, Lethbridge; Silver - Avery Gibney, Moose Jaw.
-44 kg. - Gold - Paige Irwin, Vibank; Silver - Trysten Reder, Vibank; Bronze - Kyra Lerat, Senshudokan.
-52 kg. - Gold - Hailey Iwaasa, Raymond; Silver - Alexis Dahl, Regina Y.
-57/+63kg combined - Gold Emilie Gatin, Regina Y; Silver Declyn Keays, Prince Albert.
Under 14 Male
-34 kg. - Gold - Ty Elias, Swift Current; Silver - Caleb Couzens, Avonhurst; Bronze - William Markon, Moose Jaw.
-38 kg. - Gold - Euan Litzenberger, South Corman Park; Silver - Thomas Huang, Regina Y; Bronze - Harman Haase, Pense; 5th - Austin Hammer, Swift Current.
-42 kg. Mixed gender - Gold - Riley Stang, Regina Y; Silver - Madison Prokopetz, Pense; Bronze - Maxwell Chilibeck, Saskatoon Y.
-46/-50 kg. combined - Gold Nate Burton, Battleford; Silver - Vladimir Pristojko, Battleford; Bronze - Conner Hammer, Swift Current.
-55 kg. - Gold - Blake Callaghan, Prince Albert; Silver Carson Wiebe, Avonhurst.
Under 16 Female Combined weights
Gold - Paige Copeland, Pense; Silver - Sasha Chilibeck, Saskatoon Y; Bronze - Elysia Kehrig, Pense.
Under 16 Male
-38/-42 kg. combined - Gold - Euan Litzenberger, South Corman Park; Silver - Nate Burton, Battleford; Bronze - Riley Stang, Regina Y.
-46 kg. - Gold - Vladimir Pristojko, Battleford; Silver - Ethan Mcdougall, Prince Albert; Bronze - Zeke Tanner, Senshudokan.
-50 kg. - Gold - Maximus Litzenberger, South Corman Park; Silver - Stas Sheshnev, Regina Y.
-55 kg. - Gold - Blake Callaghan, Prince Albert; Silver - Houman Alimardani, Regina Y; Bronze - Jessen Brust, Lloydminster.
-66/-73kg combined - Gold Ghrandozz Aguilar, Swift Current; Silver - Liam Belanger, Senshudokan; Bronze - Levi Couzens, Avonhurst.
Under 18 Female
-48/-52 kg. combined - Gold - Elysia Kehrig, Pense; Silver - Sasha Chilibeck, Saskatoon Y; Bronze - Kirsten Couzens, Avonhurst.
Under 18 Female/male combined
+70 kg. - Gold - Khye Brust, Lloydminster; Silver - Janessa Keays, Prince Albert.
-55/-60/-63/-66 kg. combined - Gold - Kyle Mckay, Pense; Silver - Miranda Bellisle, Saskatoon Y; Bronze - Slavko Pristojko, Battleford.
Under 18 Male
-46/-50 kg. combined - Gold - Stas Sheshnev, Regina Y; Silver - Ethan Mcdougall, Prince Albert.
-73/-81 kg. combined - Gold Kace Callaghan, Prince Albert; Silver - Khye Brust, Lloydminster; Bronze - Kayen Ivey, Lethbridge; 5th - Ghrandozz Aguilar, Swift Current.
Senior Men/women Combined
-73/-78/-81 kg. combined Gold - Maxx Karaim, Regina Y; Silver - Kace Callaghan, Prince Albert; Bronze - Megan Neuman, Prince Albert.
Senior Men
-55 kg. - Gold - Kyle Mckay, Pense; Silver - Slavko Pristojko, Battleford.
-66 kg. - Gold - Jack Karaim, Regina Y; Silver - Vlad Sheshnev, Regina Y; Bronze - Damien Wiens, Moose Jaw.
-90 kg. - Gold - Ethan Cobbehoggan, Med. Hat; Silver - Chris Banks, Avonhurst.
-100 kg. - Gold - Justin Filteau, Swift Current; Silver - Robin Kurpjawert, Med. Hat; Bronze - Vladimir Pristojko Senior, Battleford.
+100 kg. - Gold - Jim Wiens, Moose Jaw; Silver - Chris Hodgson, Saskatoon Y; Bronze - Toru Iwaasa, Swift Current.