Jordan Mouton Wins U.S. Paralympic Trials for Judo

For Immediate Release
Contact: Betsy Heckert
By Nicole Jomantas , USA Judo
719.630-0422/ media@usaba.org

(28 April, 2008 – Colorado Springs, Colo. ) – Eighteen-year-old Jordan Mouton ( Houston, Texas ) became a longshot for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games last summer when her 57kg division was cancelled at the Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro . 

With Team USA only qualified to send one representative in the women's divisions – at 70kg – Mouton was said to be out of the picture, but she chose to move up two weight divisions for one final chance to fulfill her Paralympic dreams.

Mouton's teammate at the 2007 World Championships, Lisamaria Martinez ( Union City , Calif./Stanford Judo) qualified the 70kg division by placing fifth at the Worlds and earning a silver medal at the Parpans. 

Mouton challenged Martinez at the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Trials for Judo on Saturday at Northglenn High School in Northglenn , Colo.

As the athlete who qualified the division, Martinez had the advantage and only needed one win to earn her trip to Beijing .  Mouton, however, needed two wins – and no losses – to qualify for a nomination to the Paralympic Team. 

In their first match, Mouton was down by two yuko (quarter-point) scores, but came back to pin Martinez for the win. This win, in turn, forced a second match in which Mouton threw Martinez soundly for ippon with a left o soto gari (outer leg throw) to win the match and thus the spot on the Paralympic Team.

Mouton hugged her coaches and cried tears of happiness – knowing she had secured her slot bound for Beijing, where she will try to become the first U.S. woman to win Paralympic gold. 

“This win means more than it normally would because I've been working so hard in my training,” Mouton said. “I was given a second chance that not everyone gets – I'm proud I was able to make something of it.”

In the men's divisions, the following four players each went uncontested at the Trials and will be nominated to the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Team, sponsored by Tiger Claw:

• Scott Jones ( Little Rock , Ark. / Little Rock Judo / 81kg)
• Andre Watson ( Upper Darby , Pa. / Liberty Bell Judo / 90kg)
• Myles Porter ( Colorado Springs , Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / 100kg)
• Greg Dewall ( Chico , Calif. / +100kg)

About USABA: Since its founding in 1976, USABA, a community-based organization of the United States Olympic Committee, has reached thousands of blind individuals. USABA's Mission : to enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired people by providing the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity.  For more information, please visit our Web site: www.usaba.org

About Tiger Claw:  Tiger Claw has been a high-end manufacturer and distributor of martial arts supplies for more than 20 years.  The Tiger Claw product line covers all areas of martial arts supplies from protective gear to uniforms to swords and operates facilities in Fremont , Calif. and Knoxville , Tenn.   Tiger Claw also publishes Claw Marks—the largest circulation martial arts business newsletter in America , and the popular newsstand magazine Kung Fu Tai Chi. For more information, visit www.tigerclaw.com

USABA, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, the world's second largest athletic competition that draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes. Visit www.usaba.org for more information.

The United States Association of Blind Athletes, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, which continually draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes.