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 wasnt off by much.
I was thinking wed 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 teams 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.
Its 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 theyre 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