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JMJC Athletes Head To Europe
Glenville, NY — Athletes from the Glenville, NY based Jason Morris Judo Club (JMJC) left today to compete and train in Europe. Olympic hopefuls, Liz Burns (19), Carrie Chandler (22) and Nate Torra (20) will first be competing in the Athens Open Jan. 17-18 in Greece. JMJC's Teri Takemori went with the team to Athens to attend the International Judo Federation (IJF) preparation seminar for the Olympics. Takemori has been chosen by the IJF as the first alternate to officiate at the Games in August. She will also referee at the Athens Open. The competition will be held in the 2004 Olympic Judo venue. Burns (52kg) and Torra (66kg) will be fighting at their normal weight class but Chandler (57kg) is competing at 63kg because her regular weight division is not being contested at this event. They will then participate in a training camp Jan. 19-22 in Athens before they move on to the Moscow Open Jan. 24-25 in Russia. Then they will do the Moscow International training camp Jan 26-29. Burns and Chandler go from Russia to the women's only Bulgarian Open Jan 31-Feb. 1 in Sofia while Torra heads to the men's only Belgian Open in Vise. Burns finished in 9th place at last year's Bulgarian Open. The girls return home on Feb. 2 while Torra will stay on for the Belgian International camp form Feb. 2-6 then return home. Torra will be assisted in Belgium by 2x Canadian Olympian, Keith Morgan who is attending the camp as well and is coached in part by Torra's personal coach, Jason Morris. Burns, Chandler and Torra are preparing for the US Olympic Judo trials which will be held June 5 in San Jose, CA and ultimately the Olympic Games in Athens. Burns and Chandler are currently ranked #2 and Torra is #3. Burns is originally from Lake Havasu, AZ and Chandler & Torra hail from Pittsfield, MA. JMJC's other Olympic hopefuls are 2000 Olympian, Brandan Greczkowski (60kg) who is ranked #5, Mike Blizinski (+100kg) is #7, Gina Franzese (57kg) is #7 and Nick Kossor (60kg) is #9. Two others who not currently ranked who still have a good chance at making the trials are Jen Conte (78kg) and Katie Mocco (70kg). Conte is actually ranked #1 at +78kg but that division is not qualified for the Olympics so she is trying to make a run a 78kg. You have be ranked in the top five in your respective weight class to be invited to compete in the Olympic trials.