Montreal, May 10, 2012 – Canada’s judokas shimmered in the heat at the Miami Judo World Cup, earning four medals total on Day One of competitions, Thursday. Étienne Briand lead Team Canada with a silver medal win in the Under 73 kg category.  Teammates Justin Fumiya Imagawa and Arthur Margelidon  also stepped onto the podium with bronze medals, while in women’s competitions Audrée Francis-Méthot also scored a bronze.

Competing in the Under 73 kg class, Quebec-native Briand make short work of Argentina’s Alejandro Clara and then American Matthew Parker, earning a spot in the semi-final round where he was matched with fellow Canadian Justin Fumiya Imagawa. Briand bested Imagawa and earned his berth in the final round against Cuba’s Ronald Girones. Girones put a stop to the Canadian’s progress with an ippon – leaving Briand with a silver medal. 

“During the last six competitions, Étienne has been performing very well, which is a very positive sign,” commented coach Marie-Hélène Chisholm, most of all pleased with Briand’s win against the Argentian judoka in the first round. “He [Alejandro Clara] finished third at the PanAmerican Championships, so it’s a wonderful victory for Étienne.”

Still in the same weight class, Arthur Margelidon and Justin Fumiya Imagawa shared third place and bronze medals.  Unbeaten in previous matches Thursday, Imagawa faced Étienne Briand who temporarily halted the former’s progress with an ippon.  Imagawa was then able to earn some hardware with a win against American judoka Joseph Hasimoto in the bronze medal round. 

Margelidon also earned two victories before Cuba’s Ronald Girones got in his way.  Following Imagawa’s lead, Margelidon won when matched against American Adam Moyerman and thus earned the Canadian a bronze medal.   “Justin and Arthur both had great days today, they both won their first World Cup medals!” enthused Chisholm. 

In the Under 66 kg class, Patrick Gagné finished fifth, defeated by Mexico’s Castillo Naborn in the bronze medal round.  Gagné nevertheless scored two wins in the main tableau prior to being out-matched in the semi-final.   

Also on the tatami in the same category, Antoine Bouchard was eliminated in the first round, courtesy of American judoka Bradford Bolen.

Audrée Francis-Méthot Earns Bronze

In women’s competitions, Audrée Francis-Méthot thrilled with a bronze medal in the Under 52 kg category.

Able to pass through the first round, the Quebec native first bettered Mexico’s Monica Hernandez; Cuba’s Bermoy Acosta was next on the list, and stopped Francis-Méthot in her tracks in the semi-final.  At 19 years old, Francis-Méthot rallied back in her bout facing Ontario’s Andrea Madgett, beating the latter with an ippon to step onto the third place on the podium.

“Audrée showed a great deal of potential today (Thursday); this is also her first World Cup medal win,” stated a pleased Marie-Hélène Chisholm.

Prior to her match with a fellow Canadian, Andrea Madgett was bested in the second round by American Angelica Delgado.  The story was different in Madgett’s first round in overtime as she beat American Mirelle Graves.  At the end of the day, Madgett was ranked fifth.

Nova Scotia’s Whitney Lohnes also finished fifth, competing in the Under 48 kg, where she battled American judoka Taylor Ibera, prior to admitting defeat to Argentina’s Paula Pareto. In overtime, Lohnes then saw another loss to Chile’s Antonieta Galleguillos in the bronze medal round. 

In the Under 57 kg class, Ontario’s Nicole Jenicek took fifth place after a tough battle against Mexico’s Leon Ana.  Jenicek began her day meeting Cuba’s Yurileidys Lupetey Cobas on the tatami, where the latter won.  The Canadian then began her return in the overtime rounds, where she won against Hungary’s Cergia David, and then was tested by Leon Ana for third place.

Competing in the same weight category, Quebec’s Ecaterina Guica was sadly off the tatami in her first round.  

In the Under 63 kg category, Stéfanie Tremblay also finished in fifth place.  Though defeated by Austria’s Kathrin Unterwurzacher, the Quebecois athlete hit her stride in overtime, winning against Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard. In the bronze medal round Tremblay was bested by Brazil’s Katherine Campos.

Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard and Lisa Nakjima were unable to achieve to wins today.

The Miami World Cup continues through Friday, in sunny Miami, Florida U.S.A.

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Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada