A handful of judokas from two clubs were throwing opponents and correct answers, placing top-three in all three categories, at the Hiroshikai Judo Championships on Saturday at Holy Family Elementary.
Melia Hudgin, Paige Poelman and Liam Rollins from Northern Lights Judo Club, and Kaylee Johnson and Emiko Teramura, of the Shiroumakai Club, proved their prowess on the mat and their judo knowledge to place in three categories.
Yellow belt Teramura placed first in female U-11, then took silver in judo knowledge and ukemi (break falls).
“She’s quite a driven judoka, she has a definite goal in mind, she wants to be a black belt by 16,” said Shiroumakai sensei Aaron Jensen. “I believe she has an aunt with a black belt, so I think that’s why she got involved in judo.”
Teammate Johnson, also a yellow belt, came first in mixed U-9, bronze in judo knowledge and ukemi.
“She’s just an all-around hard worker,” said Jensen. “When it comes down to crunch time, she brings it all to the mat.”
Hudgin, who has been training for a little over a year and has earned a white/yellow belt, placed third in mixed U-13, snagged gold in knowledge - scoring 100 per cent - and ukemi.
Rollins, another white/yellow belt, won the male U-11, captured silver in judo knowledge and bronze in ukemi.
“He does quite well and it’s really encouraging,” said Northern Lights sensei Dan Poelman. “This year he’s really starting to shine.”
Paige Poelman, a yellow/orange belt, finished second in female U-11, gold in judo knowledge and ukemi.
“She’s very good at the judo knowledge - she got 100 per cent at the advanced stage,” said Dan Poelman. “She did really well with the break falls - ukemi - she excels at that too.”
The championship, one of four club-hosted tourneys in the season, further secured the top spot in the Champions League - a points competition between the four Whitehorse clubs - for the Northern Light Club. With two tournaments complete, Northern Lights (NLJ) has 67 points, Shiroumakai (SHK) 52, Golden Horn (GHJ) six and Hiroushikai (HRK), two. Hiroushikai didn’t have any competitors on Saturday.
The next tournament will be hosted by Northern Lights at Emilie Tremblay school on Feb. 11.
Results
Division mixed U-9
1st Kaylee Johnson SHK
2nd Cassi Jensen SHK
3rd Anya Bellon GHJ
3rd Eban Basnett SHK
Division male U-11 - novice
1st Liam Rollins NLJ
2nd Kaajineek Neumann NLJ
Division female
U-11 - intermediate
1st Emiko Teramura SHK
2nd Paige Poelman NLJ
3rd Dana Sellars GHJ
Division mixed U-11
1st Alan Johnson SHK
2nd Judy Russell SHK
2nd Mattias Sembsmoen NLJ
3rd Tai McClelland NLJ
3rd Trent Baird NLJ
Division mixed U-13
1st Thomas Dickson SHK
2nd Connor Sibbeston SHK
3rd Melia Hudgin NLJ
Judo knowledge (novice)
Gold - Melia Hudgin NLJ
Silver - Tai McClelland NLJ
Silver - Liam Rollins NLJ
Bronze - Mattias
Sembsmoen NLJ
Judo knowledge (intermediate)
Gold - Paige Poelman NLJ
Silver - Emiko Teramura SHK
Bronze - Kaylee Johnson SHK
Bronze - Cassi Jensen SHK
Ukemi (novice)
Gold - Melia Hudgin NLJ
Silver - Connor Sibbeston SHK
Bronze - Liam Rollins NLJ
Ukemi (intermediate)
Gold - Paige Poelman NLJ
Silver - Emiko Teramura SHK
Bronze - Kaylee Johnson SHK
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com