Press Relea=
se
=
=
=
=
April 5, 2008=
=
=
=
=
Gainesville, FL- West Palm Beach Judo
Academy Team takes Third Place Team Trophy at the University of Flori=
da Judo
Club’s 2008 Gator Open.
West=
Palm
Beach Judo Academy’s students Casey Nob=
le,
Alexander Fowlkes, Lazaro Osle, Luis Gonzalez, Steven Denus, Garfield Miller
and Kim Potter came to show their skills at the revived Gator Open.
Newcomers Casey Noble, Hidden Oaks Elementary student =
and
Alexander Fowlkes, Morikami Elementary student placed in their respective
junior divisions. Noble scored ippon to secure the first place medal in 7 &=
amp;
8 year old middleweight division in a best of a two out of three match up. =
In
his first outing Fowlkes secured wins in two divisions to secure a second a=
nd
third place finish in the boys 9 & 10 year old heavyweight and open
divisions respectively.
Lazaro Osle received a first place in an uncontested 1=
5-16
y/o . Osle is a sophomore at J.I.
Leonard High
School. Osle moved up to the senior men’=
;s
66 kg division to challenge the adults. His quest for challenge was a great
experience as he will soon be too old for junior competition. He went down =
in
two rounds although scoring on his more experience opponents he was elimina=
ted
from the competition.
Teammate Luis Gonzalez, Park Vista High School sophomore, who just tu=
rned
17 fought in the Senior Men’s 66 kg division with a 14 lb handicap, s=
ince
he didn’t make the 60 kg division. Gonzalez’s spectacular roll =
of
ippons (knockout wins) made him the audience favorite as he threw adult men=
ranging
from 17 to 29 years old. Gonzalez’s dominance in this division gained=
him
acclaim from his teammates and the spectators. Gonzalez looks forward to
competing in the up coming Sunshine State Games to be held at Lakeland in June and USA Judo Junior Ol=
ympics
to be held at the Walt Disney World of Sports Complex in July.
Garfield Miller brown belt secured a second place meda=
l in
the Masters Men’s 90 kg division. Miller has been raking up points in
local tournaments against seasoned brown belts and black belts alike for his
black belt grading. Miller encountered a very skilled Larry Folsom from the
Tallahassee Community College Judo Club. Miller threw Folsom for a ippon th=
at
was downgraded by a novice referee to a wazari. Miller and Folsom demonstra=
ted
to the judokas and spectators that life begins after forty with their gymna=
st
like ability and relish for the challenge. Miller is a very inspiration exa=
mple
as a competitor and a person influencing positively his teammates.
Novice Steven Denus, and his mentor Masters competitor=
Kim
Potter teamed up in the men’s 100 kg division to secure a second and
third place finish. Denus is a Senior at Park Vista High School. Potter has been train=
ing at
the West Palm Beach Judo Academy
in preparation to compete at the World Masters Championships in Brussels, Belgium
in June. Potter also secured a first place in the Masters Men’s 100 Kg
division crushing his opponents with quick foot sweeps and mauling mat work
scoring ippons via throws, pins and submission holds.
The West Palm Beach
Judo =
Academy
holds classes and training at 1515
N Dixie Hwy, in Lake Worth at PilSung Tae Kwon Do’=
;s
8,000 square foot training facility dedicated to martial arts instruction a=
nd
training. Judo Instruction is provided by veteran instructor Hector Vega. V=
ega
has been teaching judo in Palm
Beach County
since 1995. Vega sensei’=
;s
students have achieved national ranking and have made it to the Olympic
pipeline for further development. Vega’s former students have compete=
d in
many international events including the Sydney Olympics. For more information call 561-281-7=
902 or
visit www.wpbjudoacademy.com=