Panamanian judokas go to the Dominican Republic for points

The judo team of Panama will try to add the maximum number of points for ranking in Dominican Republic, in order to maintain their chances of qualifying Games of Central America and the Caribbeane 2023, as well as Pan American Games in Santiago 2023 in Chile.

The tournament in the Caribbean country will take place between April 18 and 23, but the Panamanians will compete on April 20.

Until now Panama there are four judokas in the classification zone for the games Central America and the Caribbean 2023 that will be held in Salvador, namely: Kristine Jiménez in the category (-57 kg), Lilian Cordones (-52 kg), Mario Cordones (-66 kg) and Alexis Harrison (81 kg).

It is important that our athletes can get the maximum number of points, ratify themselves in the order of classification in 2023 Central American and Caribbean Gamesexplained Estela Riley, president of the association United Judo Federation of Panama.

Riley added that Panamanian judo aims to have at least 6 or 7 athletes for the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Besides that Kristine Jimenez, Cordones and Harrison, The presenter added that she hopes to remain in the qualifications for the Central American and Caribbean Games and that she will also be able to include Manuel Velasquezu (-100 kg), Bernabe Veragara (.60 kg), the latter would also have to seek their point classification in the Dominican Republic.

The tournament in the land of merengue is competitive, demanding, and therefore it is important that the Panamanians can hold their own, add points, added Riley.

National athletes prepared for the tournament in the Caribbean countries, participating in various competitions such as Open Medellin in Colombia, Open Cuba, tournament where Lilian Cordones won gold and Kristina Jimenez got bronze.

The delegation of Panama that traveled to Dominican Republic It consists of: K.Ristine Jiménez (-52 kg), Nemesis Candelo (-52), Lilian Cordones (-52 kg), Manuela Fernández (-63 kg), Bernabé Vergara (-60 kg), Mario Cordones (-66 kg), Ronal González ( -73 kg), Alexis Harrison (-81 kg) and Manuel Velásquez (-100 kg), along with trainers Librado Alvarado and Amado Molina and delegate Milvio Mendoza.

After the Dominican tournament, the athletes Bernabe Vergara, Alexis Harrison, Lilian Cordones and Kristine Jimenez They will remain in camp on Caribbean soil until April 30.

In the camp there will be athletes from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia and the Dominican Republicamong others.

Estela Riley added that for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Panama has Kristine Jiménez, Bernabé Vergara and Lilian Cordones.

The president of Panamanian judo reiterated that the most important thing is to manage to collect points, stay on the classification scale, and the Open Guayaquil tournaments in Ecuador in July are still to come, such as Judo Pan American in Canada in September, these tournaments award ranking points for achievement Pan American Games in Santiago 2023 in Chile.