Montréal, March 15^th, 2015 – Ana Laura Portuondo Isasi was Canada’s best judoka on Sunday at the Pan American Open in Montevido, Uruguay, during which she won the bronze medal in the under 78 kg category.

The 19-year-old athlete stepped on the podium during each of her six competitions in 2015. She had also won a silver medal last week during the Pan American Open in Santiago, Chile, and a bronze medal during the African Open in Tunis, Tunisia, in January.

“When I go to a competition, my goal is always to reach the podium. No matter what the level is, I go there to fight and win,” said Portuondo Isasi, a little disappointed with her result in Montevideo.

In her last bout of the day, during the fights the determine 3^rd places, the Montreal judoka scored waza‑ari against the young Mexican Liliana Cardena, who’s only 16 years old.

Exempted from the first round, Portuondo Isasi, ranked 33^rd in the world, won by ippon against the Guatemalan Mirla Nolberto Labriel, ranked 59^th. That’s also how she had won against Nolberto Labriel during the Santiago Open.

“I placed myself well and made her move around. I think my attack was pretty good. Everything is fine when I stay calm,” said the Québécoise.

Portuondo Isasi also fought again against her former teammate, Sarah Myriam Mazouz, ranked 34^th, who now represents Gabon. Unlike last Sunday she lost, Mazouz won by ippon.

“Sarah is a strong competitor. We met fairly often, so we know each other pretty well,” she explained.

During the final, Mazouz lost against the Russian Anastasiya Dmitrieva, ranked 13^th in the world.

“I’m not happy with my result. Not only because I lost, but mostly because of the mistakes that I made. There’s still a lot of work to do,” concluded Portuondo Isasi.

Seventh places for Alix Renaud-Roy and Zachary Burt

In the under 70 kg category, Alix Renaud-Roy, ranked 41^st, won by penalties against the American Samantha Bleier, who is ranked 87^th. She then went on to lose against two Brazilians: Maris Portela, 24^th, who won by yuko and Amanda Oliveira, who won by ippon. The athlete from La Pocatière finished in 7^th place.

Zachary Burt, fighting in the under 81 kg category, also finished in 7^th place. Exempted from the first round, the Oshawa judoka, ranked 75^th, won by ippon against the Brazilian Iuri Rocha before losing by waza-ari against the Slovene Gasper Jerman, 116^th, and by ippon against the Salvadoran Juan Diego Turcios, who is ranked 98^th. Both are left-handed.

In the under 90 kg category. Robert Edward, from Calgary, won a bout but lost the next one. Jonah Burt, from Oshawa, lost his first bout.

Marc Deschênes, from Laval, fighting with the under 100 kg, and the British Colombian Ignacio Rodriguez, fighting with the over 100 kg, were both eliminated after their first bout.

Coimbra Junior European Cup

During the Junior European Cup in Coimbra, Portugal, Louis Krieber-Gagnon and Martin Rygielski both won a silver medal, and Emily Burt won a bronze medal.

Krieber-Gagnon, from Montreal, won his 4 first bouts in the under 81 kg category. He then lost in the final against the Portuguese Anri Egutidze, who won by yuko.

Also fighting in the under 81 kg category, Olivier Gobeil-St-Amand, from Champlain, in Mauricie, won one bout and lost another one.

Rygielski, from Ajax, Ontario, won 2 bouts by ippon before losing the same way against the Netherlander Jur Spijkers in the final for the over 100 kg category.

Emily Burt, from Oshawa, won her first bout, lost the second and went on with 3 victories in a row. Her last victory was against her teammate Jaquina Simao during one of the bouts for the bronze medal in the under 63 kg category.

Simao, from Red Deer, Alberta, had previously won against her first 2 opponents before losing in the semi-final. She finished in 5^th place after losing against Burt.

Megan Hawk, from Kamloops, British-Colombia, also finished 5^th in the under 78 kg category. She won her first bout but lost in the semi-final and during one of the bouts for the bronze medal.

In the under 70 kg category, Baie-Comeau judoka Mina Coulombe finished 7^th after winning 2 of her 4 bouts.

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Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada