Historic Silver for Jack Yonezuka Highlights Strong Weekend for Hatashita Sports Athletes

The road to Los Angeles 2028 is officially underway, and Hatashita Sports athletes wasted no time making their mark on the international stage.

At the first Olympic qualification event of the new cycle, the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam in Mongolia, 2024 Olympian Jack Yonezuka delivered a historic performance, becoming the first American male in 14 years to win a medal at an International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Slam.

Competing in the -73kg category, Yonezuka captured a silver medal and finished the day with an impressive 4-1 record against a world-class field of competitors. The event featured 454 athletes from 58 nations and served as the opening Olympic qualification tournament on the road to LA 2028.

The silver medal marks the first Grand Slam medal by a U.S. male athlete since 2016 Olympic silver medalist Travis Stevens earned silver at the Rio Grand Slam in 2012.

Yonezuka opened his tournament with hard-fought victories over Joshua Green (IRL) and Dayyan Boulemtafes (FRA), scoring a yuko in each contest. In the quarterfinals, he secured his place in the medal rounds with a spectacular ippon victory over Hassan Doukkali (MAR).

The American continued his momentum in the semifinal, defeating World No. 15 Uranbayar Odgerel (MGL) in Golden Score after securing a hold-down victory one minute and 37 seconds into overtime.

The gold medal match was another thrilling battle. Facing World No. 10 Ankhzaya Lavjarga (MGL), Yonezuka pushed the contest nearly two and a half minutes into Golden Score before ultimately settling for silver after a waza-ari score ended the match.

The result represents a major milestone in Yonezuka's career and a strong statement as Olympic qualification begins.

Podium Success Continues in Buenos Aires

While Yonezuka was making history in Mongolia, Hatashita Sports athletes were also finding success on the other side of the world at the Buenos Aires Pan American Open in Argentina.

A total of four Hatashita Sports sponsored athletes reached the podium and earned valuable Olympic ranking points.

In the -66kg category, current Senior National Champion Lenny Sheynfeld fought his way to a silver medal finish, while Jacob Yang joined him on the podium with bronze.

In the -60kg division, Joshua Yang added another bronze medal for Team Hatashita, continuing a strong showing from the American squad.

Rounding out the medal performances, Yasmin Alamin secured bronze in the -70kg category, adding important points toward her international ranking.

Every Point Matters

Olympic qualification is a marathon, not a sprint. Every match, every win, and every ranking point earned now can play a crucial role in the journey to Los Angeles 2028.

With a historic Grand Slam silver medal and four Pan American Open podium finishes, Hatashita Sports athletes have already put themselves on the board in the opening weeks of qualification.

We are proud to support these athletes as they pursue their Olympic dreams and look forward to following their journeys every step of the way.

The road to LA 2028 has begun.

 

* Check Out Jack Yonezuka sporting our FUJI Performance Gear during his JUDOTV interview on GOLDEN SCORE. *