By Thia James

Local judo hopeful sits out final provincial tournament with injury

Apr 27, 2014 | 12:11 PM

The Prince Kenshukan Judo Club hosted this season’s final provincial judo tournament, and noticeably on the sidelines was one of the city’s top judoka, Josh Guthrie.

Guthrie was a timekeeper at the tournament at Carlton Comprehensive High School Saturday afternoon. The tournament drew competitors from all over the province in various weight categories. The winner of two gold medals at this year’s Sask Winter Games – in 60+ kilogram (kg) wrestling and judo – is currently sidelined with back problems. 

The under 66 kg judoka will, however, be heading to the National Championships in Saguenay, Que., which start May 15. He said he would have wanted to take part in the provincial tournament in Prince Albert.

“I don’t want to risk it … getting hurt for Nationals. I already injured my back a little bit, so, I just got to take it easy for the next couple of days,” he said.

His coach, Doyle Ironstand, thinks Guthrie will do quite well at the Nationals this year.

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“He’s a tough kid, he’s athletic … he’s got great skill and he’s going to bounce back. He’s got three weeks to get healthy. He can’t shut down completely for the next three weeks.”

Ironstand said that for the next three weeks, Guthrie’s coaches at the judo club will continue to encourage and motivate him.

The Prince Albert team, in general, have been training since September. Ironstand said the advanced athletes “kind of never shut down,” and keep training year-round. And he said the club is already looking ahead to next year.

“We probably have another three or four competitors in our club right now … that are all showing great signs of being high-level competitors. I’m not sure if it’s something in the water in Prince Albert, but historically, for as long as I’ve been involved with this club, every few years we have … half a dozen competitors or so that all fare really well at the National Championships.”

In Saguenay, Guthrie is aiming for gold at his third visit to the Nationals.

“Hopefully I can get a medal for sure. I think I can.”

Below are the final results from Saturday’s tournament:

Ne-Waza (groundwork only divisions)

U10 Under 23.3 kgs
Gold – Sam Cooper – Prince Albert
Gold – Suri Merasty – Prince Albert
Gold – Loic Beaton – Saskatoon YMCA

U10 Under 38.9 kgs
Gold – Macy Litzenberger – Prince Albert
Gold – Demitri Charles – Stanley Mission
Gold – Elisabeth McKenzie – Stanley Mission
Gold – Mariam Merasty – Stanley Mission

U12 Under 27.4 kgs
Gold – Eamon Hayes – Regina YMCA
Gold – Evelyn Beaton – Saskatoon YMCA
Gold – Bryan Cooper – Prince Albert

U12 Under 47.4 kgs
Gold – Jessa Roberts – Stanley Mission
Gold – Alexandra McLeod – Stanley Mission
Gold – Blake Callaghan – Prince Albert
Gold – Victor Craevoi – Saskatoon YMCA

U12 Under 58.3 kgs
Gold – Rose McLeod – Stanley Mission
Gold – Lisa McKenzie – Stanley Mission
Gold – Jakob Ferguson-Dodge – Prince Albert
Gold – Ariana Roberts – Stanley Mission

U12 Over 59 kgs
Gold – Abigail McLeod – Stanley Mission
Gold – Zacherius McKenzie – Stanley Mission
Gold – Nadia McKenzie – Stanley Mission

U14 Under 34.4 kgs
Gold – Brady McDougall – Prince Albert
Gold – Ethan McDougall – Prince Albert
Gold – Ryan McKenzie – Stanley Mission

Full-competition divisions:
U12 Under 27.4 kgs
Gold – Evelyn Beaton – Saskatoon YMCA
Gold – Eamon Hayes – Regina YMCA
Gold – Bryn Cooper – Prince Albert
Gold – Loic Beaton – Saskatoon YMCA

U12 Under 34.8 kgs
Gold – Euan Litzenburger – Saskatoon South Corman Park
Gold – Justin Wiens – Moose Jaw

U12 Under 39 kgs
Gold – Victor Craevoi – Saskatoon YMCA
Gold – Emily Whitford – Prince Albert
Gold – Travis McGrath – Watrous
Gold – Blake Callaghan – Prince Albert

U12 Under 52.5 kgs
Gold – Matthew Porter – Watrous
Gold – Cali Roode – Prince Albert

U14 Male Under 34 kgs
Gold – Justin McKay – Pense
Silver – Maximus Litzenburger – Saskatoon South Corman Park
Bronze – Euan Litzenburger – Saskatoon South Corman Park
Bronze – Mitchell Harding – Watrous

U14 Male Under 38 kgs
Gold – Damien Wiens – Moose Jaw
Silver – Justin Wiens – Moose Jaw
Bronze – Brendan Ironstand-Baxter – Prince Albert
Bronze – Michael Smith – Prince Albert

U14 Male Under 50 kgs
Gold – Benjamin Bigelow – Regina YMCA
Silver – Kace Callaghan – Prince Albert
Bronze – Shay Sather – Prince Albert
Bronze – Kyle McKay – Pense

U14 Male Over 66 kgs
Gold – Caleb Hoffarth – Vibank
Silver – Zacherius McKenzie – Stanley Mission

U14 Female Under 50 kgs
Gold – Kelly Mills – Saskatoon YMCA
Silver – Paige Copeland – Pense

U14 Female Under 63 kgs
Gold – Maria Martin – Pense
Silver – Miranda Belisle – Prince Albert

U16 Male Under 54 kgs
Gold – Benjamin Bigelow – Regina YMCA
Silver – Nicholas Skaf – Regina YMCA
Bronze – Kyle McKay – Pense
Bronze – Kace Callaghan – Prince Albert

U16 Male Under 73 kgs
Gold – Brandon Morrison – Lloydminister
Silver – Travis Mills – Saskatoon YMCA

U16 Female combined
Gold – Miranda Belisle – Prince Albert
Silver – Megan Newman – Prince Albert

U18 Male Under 60 kgs
Gold – Alex Li – Regina YMCA
Silver – Jack Karaim – Regina YMCA

U18 Male Under 66/72 kgs combined
Gold – Tristan Hoffarth – Vibank
Silver – Brandon Morrison – Lloydminister
Bronze – Aiden Skaf – Regina YMCA
Bronze – Maxx Karaim – Regina YMCA

U18 Female combined
Gold – Taryn Montgomery – Regina YMCA
Silver – Megan Neuman – Prince Albert
Bronze – Caitlin Mike – Prince Albert

U21 Male Under 66/73 kgs combined
Gold – Charlie Clark – Watrous
Silver – Tristan Hoffarth – Vibank
Bronze – Maxx Karaim – Regina YMCA
Bronze – Aiden Skaf – Regina YMCA

U21 Male Over 100 kgs
Gold – Tyrell Stringer – Vibank
Silver – Jesse Stringer – Vibank

Senior Male Under 90 kgs
Gold – Bryce Martindale – Regina YMCA
Silver – Justin Filteau – Swift Current

Senior Male Over 100 kgs
Gold – Chris Hodgeson – Saskatoon YMCA
Silver – David Love – Saskatoon YMCA

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames