Alexa Liddie and Kenny Hashimoto win Rendez Vous Judo Championship in Montreal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUDO

CONTACT: john Miller, 303-547-2004

(MONTREAL, Canada) Both Alexa Liddie (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site) and Kenny Hashimoto (Thornton, Colo. / Northglenn Judo Club) had career days last weekend, wining the 2006 Rendez Vous Canada International Judo Championship in Montreal Canada.

Fifteen year-old Alexa Liddie won her first senior international event on the first try, taking the 44kg title after throwing and then pinning, both 2006 National Champion Daimisy Porras (North Lauderdale, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) and Margaret Drake (Scotia, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center). Alexa injured her ankle earlier this month and her coach and father, 1984 Olympic Bronze Medallist Ed Liddie considered keeping her home but at the last minute decided to let her compete. "If it was any other of my players, my decision would have been 'sit this one out.' But Alexa and her mom, who's a former elite judo athlete herself, persuaded me to let her test her toughness. Well, she was plenty tough, put in a gritty performance, and I'm really proud of her."

Kenny Hashimoto, who attends UNC on a full wrestling scholarship, had never won a senior international event until Saturday. He started out with three wins by Ippon (instant win) to get to the semifinals and face his nemesis Athens Olympian Taraje Williams-Murray (Bronx, N.Y. / NYAC / Spartak Sports Club). In four previous meetings, Hashimoto had lost to Williams-Murray, including at the 2004 Olympic Trials, and again at this year's national championship. Saturday's result was different, as Kenny dominated the match, throwing Taraje twice before pinning him for Ippon. He then faced 2005 World Team member Justin Flores (Palo Alto, Calif. / San Shi) in the final. Flores, in his first international event since Worlds, had earlier defeated both Senior Nationals silver medalist Nate Torra (El Cerrito, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute) and two-time World Cup Champion Gabriel Bengtsson (Sweden) earlier in the day. Up by a koka (smallest of points), Hashimoto caught Flores with a leg pick for a waza-ari (half-point) and then pinned him for ippon.

Results of all Colorado athletes follow.

Women’s 44kg
1. Alexa Liddie (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)

Men’s 66kg
1. Kenny Hashimoto (Thornton, Colo. / Northglenn Judo Club)

Men’s 73kg
3. Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)

Men’s 90kg
5. Colin Burns (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)

5. Djamal Aliev (Aurora, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)

5. Kirk Hoffmann (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)