USABA Athlete Nationally Ranked Among Sighted Players

(12 Feb., 2008 – San Jose , Calif. )The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is pleased to announce Myles Porter as silver medalist at the “Sensei Memorial” Invitational Judo Tournament in San Jose , Calif.

Porter ( Colorado Springs , Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center) placed second in the 100kg division behind Rustu Yildirim ( Huntington Beach , Calif. / Orange County Judo Training Center ). Porter's silver medal marks his return to the Senior National roster where he is only the third legally blind athlete ever to become nationally ranked among sighted players.

“We are so proud to have Myles be nationally ranked among sighted competitors,” said Coach Raul Tamayo. “Myles and his teammates work hard at their training and are prime examples of what potential those who are blind and visually impaired have in an athletic arena.”

The Tournament, held Sunday, Feb. 10 at the San Jose State University Event Center , hosted one hundred and twenty-five senior elite competitors. For a complete list of results, please visit: http://www.usjudo.org/2008sanjoseresults.asp

Porter was joined at the tournament by his teammates on the USABA National Judo Team sponsored by Tiger Claw. Participating athletes included Lisamaria Martinez, 70kg, of Union City , Calif. ; Greg DeWall, +100kg, of San Fransisco , Calif. ; and Scott Jones, 81kg, of Little Rock , Ark. Each athlete also took part in a training camp at Cahill's Judo Academy in San Bruno , Calif. , Friday, Feb. 8-9 and 11-12.

Coaches include Willy Cahill of San Bruno , Calif. ; Raul Tamayo of Redwood City , Calif. ; and Scott Moore of Englewood , Colo.

The training camp and tournament were the first of two mandatory events at which athletes must compete to qualify for the Paralympic trials in April. All four members of the USABA National Judo Team will be competing at the trials for a spot on the team destined for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games in September.

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

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.