Re-printed with the permission of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald
Judokans add to medal total
By Times-Herald Sports Staff
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.

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