Judo
April 27, 1980
Sayaka Matsumoto
Sayaka Matsumoto was born in Japan and raised in the Bay Area. She began studying judo at the age of 5 under the instruction of her father. Her love for judo drove her to six consecutive national titles and seven championships overall. At17, Matsumoto missed out on the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games when the team was selected through a point system instead of trials. After Sydney, Matsumoto became the top-ranked judoka until the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when the United States fell one slot short of qualifying. At the 2008 U.S. Olympic team trials, however, she won the event and qualified for her first Olympic games.
Basic Info
Born: December 5, 1982 in Omiya, Japan
Hometown: Richmond, Calif.
Current Residence: El Cerrito, Calif.
Ethnicity: Japanese
Height: 5′2″
Weight: 106 lbs
Event: 48 kg Judo
Did you know?: Matsumoto and her boyfriend have two cats; one of them is named after her boyfriend’s favorite judo player, Koga.
Recent Career Highlights:
2008:
* Gold - U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo
* Silver - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Silver - Olympic Zone Cup
* Fifth - Pan American Championships
2007:
* Gold - Finnish Open
* Gold - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Gold - Fall Classic National Championships
* Bronze - U.S. Open
* Fifth - Rendez-Vous Canada
* Fifth - British Open
2006:
* Silver - U.S. Open
* Silver - Finnish Open
* Silver - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Bronze - Pan American Championships
2005:
* Gold - Puerto Rico Open
* Gold - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Bronze - Pan American Championships
* Bronze - U.S. Open
* Bronze - Rendez-Vous Canada
2004:
* Gold - U.S. Olympic Trials, weight not qualified to attend
* Gold - Fall Classic Nationals
* Gold - USA Judo Senior National Championships (52kg)
* Silver - U.S. Open
* Fifth - Rendez Vous Canada
* Fifth - Pan American Championships
Interview by Michelle-Linh Nguyen
How did you first get interested in judo?
My father’s the head instructor of our judo club. He took over the dojo when I was just a baby. It was just like, one day, “You’re going to start doing judo now.”
What motivates you?
Training everyday, I sacrificed a lot: partying, going out with friends and being in school plays. What motivates me is my love of judo and the feeling that hard work pays off. It’s fun to be successful.
Is drama something you’re interested in?
I was really interested in doing musicals in high school. I like singing and being in front of people and being loud. I wanted to be in the school plays, but I couldn’t because judo practice was at the same time as the rehearsals. Maybe I’ll realize my dream in 10 years on Broadway. Anything’s possible!
You studied Mass Communications at UC Berkeley. What’s your most memorable moment from your college years?
My first year I lived in the dorms, and there was a group of girls that got really close. It was the first time I had lived away from home. I didn’t get to experience all of the social stuff, but I did get to do things like shopping and eating at 2 in the morning - that didn’t help me when I was making weight.
You took some time off from college to train. What effect did that have on your college experience?
I took three semesters off. By the time I got back, most of the other people were on their way out. In that sense, I focused more on going to classes rather than the social stuff.
You teach at the East Bay Judo Institute. Are there any rules you make sure to teach your students?
We try to teach the philosophy of judo. It’s not just a sport where you try to beat people up and win. It instills self-confidence. It teaches you to be humble and have manners, integrity and respect for others. We’ve been taught this as instructors - most of us were students of the institute ourselves. We try to pass the message on to our students.
Do you have any advice for an aspiring judo athlete?
For some sports it’s either like you’re born for it or not; there’s a certain type of body. But judo really is a sport where you can be any size, any height, and if you work really hard you can be really great.
Have you faced any stigma being a female in this sport?
I mean, there are probably more males; it’s a contact sport. But women’s judo has come a long way. It was only in 1996 that it was officially in the Olympics, so it’s only been 12 years since we’ve been included. There are definitely more women doing judo now. I’ve never experienced a stigma; some people crack jokes like “Oh, it’s just women’s judo…” but I don’t take it personally.
Do you hear a lot of “Asian-Martial Arts” cracks?
Not really. They’re not necessarily Asian cracks, but I do get a lot of misconceptions of what judo is. Like the “judo chop.” There’s no chopping in judo; it’s throwing and chokeholds. I used to get the Oh-you-do-judo-you-want-to-fight-me-? thing, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s because I’m Asian.
When someone sees an Asian, they automatically think they’re Chinese. So when people find out I do judo, they automatically think I do karate, just because it’s more well known. They categorize all martial arts into one: karate.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I see myself being a successful judo coach, probably not competing anymore. I definitely want to coach athletes, and I want to do something with my major that I enjoy - maybe even be a reporter!
Taylor Takata
Taylor Takata, born and raised in Hawai‘i, staked his claim on the sport of judo first at 60kg, where he represented the U.S. at both the Junior and Senior World Championships. He has won gold and silver medals at the Senior National Championship and U.S. Open and is a two-time Pan American champion. In 2004, he moved up to the 66kg division and missed out on an Olympic ticket after he lost to a two-time Olympian. This year, he was the top seed and earned a ticket to Beijing.
Takata recently dropped by his alma mater, ‘Iolani School, on his way to Beijing to hold a judo clinic for youths. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that Takata’s message to the youths was simple: “It’s not about the winning; it’s about the doing your best.”
Basic Info
Born: April 6, 1982, in Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Hometown: Wahiawa, Hawai‘i
Current Residence: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ethnicity: Japanese
Height: 5′5″
Weight: 145 lbs.
Event: 66 kg Judo
Did you know? Takata’s girlfriend is also his coach, Danieska Carrion. Takata said that Carrion, who is Cuban, is improving her English, while he understands some Spanish.
Recent Career Highlights
2008:
* Gold - 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo
* Bronze - Olympic Zone Cup Qualifier
* Bronze - Jose Ramon Rodriguez Championships
* Bronze - Pan American Zone Cup medalist
2007:
* Gold -FEDOJUDO International Cup
* Silver - U.S. Open
* Silver - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Silver - Rendez-Vous Canada
* Silver - USA Judo Fall Classic National Championships
* Silver - New York Open
* Bronze - Jose Ramon Rodriguez Championships (Cuba)
* Bronze - Finnish Open
* Bronze - Benito Juarez Championships
2006:
* Gold - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Gold - New York Open
* Fifth - Pan American Championships
* Fifth - U.S. Open
2005:
* Silver - New York Open
* Bronze - USA Judo Senior National Championships
* Bronze - British Open
* Bronze - Rendez-Vous Canada
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