| Member News
August 9, 2008
Taylor Takata Competes in his First Olympic Games in the 66kg Division on Sunday
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Taylor Takata |
(Beijing, China) – Taylor Takata (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) will be only the fourth Hawaiian judo player ever to compete at the Olympic Games when he takes to the mat in the 66kg division on Sunday.
After a first-round bye, Takata will fight Tariel Zintiridis (GRE). Although Zintiridis is competing at his first Olympic Games, the 20-year-old has made a name for himself already with four World Cup medals and a Junior World title to his credit.
Preliminary competition begins at noon at the Beijing University of Science and Technology Gymnasium. Preliminary rounds will run until completion and the evening finals (including semifinals, repechage finals and gold and bronze medal matches) will begin at 6 p.m.
A win over Zintiridis would advance Takata to the third round against either eight-time World Cup medalist Dex Elmont (NED) or Edson Madeira (MOZ).
Victories in his first two matches will be crucial for Takata as the quarter-finals are expected to include a match against Yordanis Arencibia (CUB). The 2004 Olympic bronze medalist placed second at the Worlds behind Joao Derly (BRA) in Rio de Janeiro last year and is expected to reach the podium again this year.
Below are past 66kg results:
2007 World Championship Results
* Indicates Players Competing in Beijing
1. Joao Derly (BRA)*
2. Yordanis Arencibia (CUB)*
3. Arash Miresmaeili (IRI)*
3. Miklos Ungvari (HUN)*
5. Giovanni Casale (ITA)*
5. Armen Nazaryan (ARM)*
7. Andreas Mitterfellner (AUT)
7. Sasha Mehmedovic (CAN)*
2005 World Championship Results
1. Joao Derly (BRA)*
2. Masato Uchishiba (JPN)
3. Arash Miresmaeili (IRI)*
3. Miklos Ungvari (HUN)*
5. Oscar Penas (ESP)*
5. David Margoshvili (GEO)
7. Dex Elmont (NED)*
7. Amin El Hady (EGY)*
2004 Olympic Games Results
1. Masato Uchishiba (JPN)*
2. Jozef Krnac (SVK)
3. Yordanis Arencibia (CUB)*
3. Georgi Georgiev (BUL)
5. Oscar Penas (ESP)*
5. David Margoshvili (GEO)
7. Jorge Lencina (ARG)
7. Joao Pina (POR)
Team USA did not qualify an athlete to compete in the other division being contested on Sunday – women’s 52kg.
Host country China has dominated this division at major events during recent years with players winning the 2004 Olympic Games as well as the 2005 and 2007 World Championships.
After four years off, 2004 Olympic Champion Dongmei Xian (CHN) has returned to defend her title and won back-to-back World Cup events after her layoff with wins at the Paris Super World Cup and Budapest World Cup.
Watch for a quarter-final match between Xian and two-time World medalist Telma Monteiro (POR) who will be looking for her first Olympic medal. Xian and Monteiro fought at the Paris Super World Cup with Xian taking the win. First, though, Xian must defeat Ana Carrascosa (ESP). The top-ranked player in the world, 28-year-old Carrascosa has 13 World Cup medals to her credit, but has never reached the podium at either a Worlds or an Olympic Games. Xian also defeated Carrascosa in Paris.
On the top of the draw, watch for two-time World medalist Kum Ae An (PRK) to make a run at her first Olympic medal.
Below are past 66kg results:
2007 World Championship Results
1. Junjie Shi (CHN)
2. Telma Monteiro (POR)*
3. Kum Ae An (PRK)*
3. Yuka Nishida (JPN)
5. Kyung-Ok Kim (KOR)*
5. Erika Miranda (BRA)
7. Georgina Singleton (GBR)
7. Soraya Haddad (ALG)*
2005 World Championship Results
1. Li Ying (CHN)
2. Yuki Yokosawa (JPN)
3. Kum Ae An (PRK)*
3. Telma Monteiro (POR)*
5. Ioana Aluas-Dinea (ROM)
5. Ludmila Bogdanova (RUS)
7. Zaimaris Calderon (CUB)
7. Bundmaa Munkhbaatar (MGL)
2004 Olympic Results
1. Dongmei Xian (CHN)*
2. Yuki Yokosawa (JPN)
3. Ilse Heylen (BEL)*
3. Amarilis Savon (CUB)
5. Salima Souakri (ALG)
5. Annabelle Euranie (FRA)
7. Georgina Singleton (GBR)
7. Ioana Aluas-Dinea (ROM) |
