EBJI Members get Outstanding awards

East Bay Judo Institute Members follow up at the 2003 Jr. Olympics

Sayaka Matsumoto, a member of the East Bay Judo Institute in El Cerrito, was named the 2002 Senior International Female Player of the Year at the 2003 USJF (United States Judo Federation) Junior National Championships in Boca Raton, Florida. Matsumoto’s competitive success in 2002 included winning her third-straight National Title in the 48 kilogram division, as well as Bronze medals at the Benito Juarez Invitational in Mexico, the US Open in Las Vegas, and the Rendezvous International in Canada. Currently, Matsumoto is striving to solidify her slot for the 2004 Summer Olympics and is now turning her attention to the World Championships, which will be held in Osaka, Japan in September.

Matsumoto is coached by her father, David Matsumoto, who was named the 2002 Coach of the Year by the USJF. David Matsumoto coaches numerous successful athletes who have taken over 30 medals from national and international competitions this year alone. He was the Team Leader for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Judo Team and is currently the Director of Development for the United States Judo Federation. The East Bay Judo Institute is located at 11165 San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito. For more information, please call (510) 237-0607 or visit their website at www.ebji.org