The more athletes they send to tournaments, the more medals they bring home.

The Moose Jaw Koseikan Judo Club came home with 28 medals from a tournament in Swift Current during the weekend continuing their stellar performances on the provincial scene.

While the total medal haul was unexpected for club coach Cliff Wiens, surprisingly it wasn’t off by much.

“I was thinking we’d be around 22 or 23 medals, just because a lot of the younger fighters we sent are very good,” he said.

Several athletes enjoyed strong performances even though they fought in several different weight classes.

Brian Smith proved to be the team’s age-class iron man, winning the juvenile boys over-74 kilogram and junior mens under-90 kilogram divisions before finishing third in the senior mens under-90 kilogram category.

“It’s not very often you have someone able to compete in that many classes and finish in the medals like that. He really had a good tournament,” Wiens said.

Garth Rivers fought well in the juvenile boys under-40 kilogram division, winning five of six matches on his way to the gold medal.

The tournament also acted as the final tune-up for local players heading to high-level competitions during the Feb. 20 weekend.

Mark Pivovar — who won the senior men advanced under-81 kilogram division and finished second in the under-90 division after suffering a minor ankle injury — will be heading to the Pacific International Judo championships in Vancouver.

Kaily Large and Stephanie Legault, who won their respective age and weight divisions, will represent Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games which begin Feb. 20.

“Both girls looked really good this weekend,” Wiens said. “They fought some girls from Alberta and beat them very easily, so I think they’re ready for the Games.”

Full results from the tournament are as follows.

Stephan Gerry — third, cadet boys 10-and-under under-30 kilogram.
Connor McDonald — second, cadet boys 10-and-under under-30 kilogram.
Chris Gerry — first, cadet boys 11-12 under-30 kilogram.
Jarryd Denne — second, cadet boys 11-12 under-43 kilogram.
Kindra Kurp — second, cadet girls 11-12 under-30 kilogram.
Marisa Kerr — first, cadet girls 11-12 over-43 kilogram.
Danielle Pakula — second, cadet girls 11-12 over-43 kilogram.
Chris Kuntz — second, cadet boys 11-12 over-46 kilogram.
Andrew Rininsland — third, cadet boys 11-12 over-46 kilogram.
Marissa Kurp — third, juvenile girls under-42 kilogram.
Garth Rivers — first, juvenile boys under-40 kilogram.
Jeremy Williams — fourth, juvenile boys under-40 kilogram.
Stephanie Legault — first, juvenile girls under-48 kilogram; second, juvenile girls under-52 kilogram.
Kailey Large — first, juvenile girls under-52 kilogram.
Mark Kerr — first, juvenile boys under-74 kilogram; third, juvenile boys over-74 kilogram.
Kelly Gower — third, juvenile boys under-74 kilogram.
Brian Smith — first, juvenile boys over-74 kilogram; first, junior mens under-90 kilogram; third, senior men under-90 kilogram.
Missy Knelson — third, junior women under-57 kilogram; third, senior women under-57 kilogram.
Steven Erickson — second, junior men under-90 kilogram.
Matt Bespalko — second, junior men under-81 kilogram; fourth, senior men under-81 kilogram.
Shane Hogaboom — second, senior men under-73 kilogram.
Mark Pivovar — first, senior mens advanced under-81 kilogram; second, senior mens advanced under-90 kilogram.
Dan Orescanin — third, senior mens advanced under-90 kilogram.


Appeared in the Moose Jaw Times-Herald Feb 10, 1999