An Elite 8 opportunity

Three P.G. judokas entered in national event T

he qualifying criteria is strict for the Elite 8 judo championships in Montreal.

Only the top eight judoka in Canada in each weight class make the invitation list and three of those national-calibre combatants are from Prince George.

Tami Goto, 15, earned that right when she backed up her national championship bronze medal win in May with a goldmedal finish at the Quebec Open in November, then won silver a week later at the Ontario Open in the under-18 minus 48 kilogram class.

Her 14-year-old Prince George Judo clubmate, Sydney Edgson, also won bronze at the nationals in Calgary, then won gold in the under-16 minus 57 kg class at the Quebec Open and was a doublegold medalist at the Ontario Open, winning the U-16 and U-18 age classes.

Brooke Corbett of the Hart Judo Academy is also entered in the Elite 8 event, competing as a 16-year-old in the U-18 minus 44 kg competition.

Corbett also won national bronze but did not compete in either the Ontario Open or Quebec Open.

Results of the three events determine the national rankings. Goto is ranked first in her category, Corbett is No. 2, while Edgson is not ranked.

“They’ve picked up their intensity and we have high expectations for all of Team B.C. – we expect them to do well,” said provincial team assistant coach Aline Strasdin. “We have a couple of kids who are very young and this is for experience. Sydney is only 14 years old but she could do pretty well.

“It’s a great opportunity for them.”

They arrived in Montreal on Monday and took part in a fourday training camp at the national judo training centre. Although they represent different clubs, Goto, Edgson and Corbett are warm-up partners who train together regularly among a group of about 15 of their age peers from the north central Interior region.

“They had a good training camp – we had to do a bit of weight management the last few days but they’re all good, they’re all weighed in,” said Strasdin, head instructor of the Prince George Judo Club.

“They had to put in some extra sessions on the bikes and on the judo mats, but they’re all hydrating and eating now. They came here after Christmas over(weight) in their categories so we had to get them back to tiptop shape.

“Tami doesn’t go overweight but we did weight management on all of them.”

Each judoka is guaranteed two matches under the doubleelimination tournament format. There are just four athletes in Corbett’s minus 44 kg category. Corbett fights this morning and Goto (minus 48 kg) and Edgson (minus 57 kg) will be in action this afternoon. Goto is also entered in Sunday’s senior competition.

A larger Prince George contingent of judokas will compete in the Saskatchewan Open in Regina, Jan. 28.

— Aline Strasdin