OTTAWA – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Friday the student-athletes and coach who will represent Canada in judo at the 26th Summer Universiade in August in Shenzhen, China.
Scott Tanner, a long-time national team member from Halifax, will coach the Canadian squad comprised of two females and two males.
On the women’s side, France Blais-Shiokawa of Ste. Anne, Man., will compete at 57 kilograms, while Stéfanie Tremblay of Saguenay, Que., will take to the mat at 63 kg.
Blais-Shiokawa, a University of Winnipeg student, was crowned junior national champion in 2010. Tremblay, who attends Concordia University, is the reigning Canadian champion in her weight class.
On the men’s side, Charles Breton-Leduc of Trois-Rivières, Que., and Justin Imagawa of Richmond, B.C., will battle at 60 and 73 kg, respectively.
In 2010, Breton-Leduc, who studies at Cegep André-Laurendeau, claimed bronze at the Miami World Cup and Imagawa, a Concordia student, achieved the same result at the US Open.
Imagawa is the only team member with previous Universiade experience. He lost in his opening bout at 81 kg at the last Universiade in 2009 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Canada has captured five medals in judo at the FISU Games in the past including gold by Keith Morgan (90 kg) in 1999 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, silver by Catherine Roberge (70 kg) in 2003 and Glenn Beauchamp (78 kg) in 1985, as well as bronze by Marylise Lévesque (78 kg) and Catherine Roberge (70 kg), both in 2007.
The judo competition in Shenzhen will run from Aug. 13-17.
(Source: Michel Belanger, CIS Communciations)
CANADIAN MEDALS IN JUDO AT THE SUMMER UNIVERSIADE (5):
Gold
1999 (Palma de Mallorca, Spain): Keith Morgan, 90 kg
Silver
2003 (Daegu, South Korea): Catherine Roberge, 70 kg
1985 (Kobe, Japan): Glenn Beauchamp, 78 kg
Bronze
2007 (Bangkok, Thailand): Marylise Lévesque, 78 kg
2007 (Bangkok, Thailand): Catherine Roberge, 70 kg
