Tracy Nagai practices at Budokan Dojo. She won the U.S. Judo Olympic Trial last weekend.

Tracy Yayoi Nagai of Budokan Judo Club won the women's 52 kg weight division at the U.S. Olympic Trial in Las Vegas. At this point, the USA Judo did not qualify her weight division for the Olympics team, but the 27-seven-year old might have a chance to travel to Beijing when the slot opens up.

In 14-weight division, United States qualified 10 divisions to send to the Beijing Olympics. In Nagai's division, Pan America, to which the states belong, could qualify about five winners from its 42 countries for the Olympics. Nagai might be sent to Beijing when other countries in Pan America drop out, according to Calvin Terada, president of Washington State Judo, Inc.

"In order to get to the Olympics, countries have to qualify for a specific weight division," Terada said. "The qualification for the weight division is based on the placement of individuals competing in international tournaments by that country in that specific weight division."

In U.S. Olympic teams, some Nikkei names were listed including Sayaka Matsumoto of El Cerrito, Calif., in Women's 48 kg and Taylor Takata of Colorado Springs, Colo., in Men's 66 kg. Ann Shiraishi of San Francisco, Calif., was alternate in Women's 48 kg.

From the Northwest region, Travis Stevens coached by Jason Harai of Ippon Judo Club in Lakewood, Wash., will represent the 81 kg men's division of the U.S. Judo national team in Beijing Olympics.

"This is really exciting news and a huge achievement for judo in the Pacific Northwest," Terada said of winning by Nagai and Stevens in the tournament.

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By The North American Post Staff
The North American Post