Judo has been a part of the games since 1972 and women’s judo was added in 1992. The US has only won ten medals during that entire period, far behind the leader, Japan, who has 65 medals. The US has earned a single medal in each of the last two Olympics after going without a medal in Sydney.
The Team:
This year’s team is made up of only five athletes, there men and two women, down from ten in Beijing and twelve in Athens. Only one of the athletes, Travis Stevens, has represented the US before at the Olympics.
Links are to twitter accounts for the athletes.
USA Judo
Men:
Nick Delpopolo – -73kg
Travis Stevens* – -81kg
Kyle Vashkulat – -100kg
Women:
Marti Malloy – -57kg
Kayla Harrison – -78kg
** – Was on team in 2008
Schedule:
Judo is run in a knockout format and does feature a Repechage (think loser’s bracket). The winner of the matches between the four losers of the quarterfinals will face off against the losers of the semifinals to determine the two bronze medalists in each event.
All Times ET
Monday July 30th
4:30 AM – Men’s 73kg – Round of 64, 32, 16, and Quarterfinals
4:30 AM – Women’s 57kg – Round of 32, 16, and Quarterfinals
9 AM – Men’s 73kg – Semifinals, Bronze Medal Finals
9 AM – Women’s 57kg – Semifinals, Bronze Medal Finals
11 AM – Women’s 57kg – Gold Medal Final
11:10 AM – Men’s 73kg – Gold Medal Final
Tuesday July 31st
4:30 AM – Men’s 81kg – Round of 64, 32, 16, and Quarterfinals
9 AM – Men’s 81kg – Semifinals, Bronze Medal Finals
11:10 AM – Men’s 81kg – Gold Medal Final
Thursday August 2nd
4:30 AM – Men’s 100kg – Round of 64, 32, 16, and Quarterfinals
4:30 AM – Women’s 78kg – Round of 32, 16, and Quarterfinals
9 AM – Men’s 100kg – Semifinals, Bronze Medal Finals
9 AM – Women’s 78kg – Semifinals, Bronze Medal Finals
11 AM – Women’s 78kg – Gold Medal Final
11:10 AM – Men’s 100kg – Gold Medal Final
Past Results:
Travis Stevens lost in the Round of 16 of the judo tournament in Beijing and then was knocked out in repechage round 3. He was the furthest advancing American in the field. In 2004 the best finish for the US was by Jimmy Pedro who won a bronze medal with a strong repechage after losing in the Round of 16. At Sydney the best finish was by Pedro as well who lost the bronze medal match.
The women’s best finish in Beijing came from Ronda Rousey who made the quarterfinals before losing and then made the bronze medal match where she won the bronze. In 2004 the women only had two competitors win a single match, none making it past the 2nd round of the repechage. Back in 2000 the best finish by an American was four women who made it to round two of the repechage. Rousey’s medal is the only one in women’s judo for the Americans.
At the 2011 World Judo Championship Kayla Harrison earned the only medal for the US, a bronze. She also earned the only US medal in the 2010 version when she won the gold medal. She is a real threat for a medal in London, maybe even the first gold for the US in Judo. Marti Malloy made it to the semifinals of the World Championship, but she lost in the semifinal and again in the bronze medal match.
Nick Delpopolo lost in the 1st round at the World Championship, but his opponent made it to the final eight before losing. Travis Stevens lost in the 1st round as well, as did Kyle Vashkulat.
If the US could win two medals in London, likely both on the women’s side, it would be the first time since 1988 that the US won two medals.
