USA Judo crowned 14 national champions during the 2026 Senior National Championships held at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico.
The event featured elite senior-level competition across multiple men’s and women’s divisions, with several returning champions successfully defending their national titles.
Olympians And Returning Champions Shine
One of the biggest names to retain gold was 2024 Olympian Jack Yonezuka, who repeated as national champion in the men’s 73 kg division.
Other returning men’s champions included:
- Lenny Sheynfeld at 66 kg
- Daniel Liubimovski at 100 kg
- Alex Semenenko at +100 kg
- Oleksandr Nyzhnyk at 90 kg
On the women’s side, 2024 Olympian Maria Laborde defended her 48 kg title, while Toni Pepia repeated at 52 kg and Nancy Nguyen captured another gold medal at 70 kg.
Open Division Winners Crowned
In the senior open divisions, Hasmik Manaseryan captured gold in the women’s category while Daniel Barboza won the men’s open title.
The tournament featured athletes representing clubs and training centers from across the United States, including several USA Judo National Resident Team competitors.
USA Judo Community Makes Major Donations
Beyond the competition itself, the weekend also included major financial contributions toward the future of American judo.
According to USA Judo, Henry Hummel and his wife donated $20,000 toward athlete high-performance programs, while Barbara Shimizu contributed $10,000 to support kata and referee development. USA Judo board member Joon Chi also donated $500 toward general operations.
The event was also attended by Zoltan Bathory of Five Finger Death Punch, a longtime judoka who has publicly supported USA Judo initiatives.
Judo Continues Building Momentum In The United States
The Senior National Championships remain one of the most important events on the American judo calendar, bringing together Olympians, rising prospects and veteran competitors under one roof.
With returning champions defending titles and new athletes breaking through nationally, the Albuquerque event highlighted the continued depth of talent developing within USA Judo.
