Earlier this year, the Yoshihiro Uchida Legacy Foundation (YULF) proudly launched the program’s first official youth grant opportunity through the Youth Judo Program (YJP).

The YJP Junior Olympic Championships Grant was created to support talented young athletes, especially those facing financial barriers, to travel to and compete at the 2026 USA Judo Junior Olympic National & International Championships.

Following a competitive application process, YULF awarded grants to 12 youth athletes representing clubs from across the United States:

Alexander Ananiades (11) - LA Judo Club

Amaris Bell (16) - Ki Itsu Sai National Training Center

Edwin Vega (12) - Judo Today MDC

Eli Oshiro (16) - Hawaii Kaikaku Judo Club

Logyn Lynn Puahala (16) - Hawaii Kaikaku Judo Club

Shota Kundukhashvili (16) - Caucasus Judo

Thalia Zabal (14) - Bay Area Fight Academy

Alice Masutsubo (14) - Fresno Judo Club

Alison Nghiem (13) - San Jose Judo Academy

Ashlie Nghiem (16) - San Jose Judo Academy

Jennah Yilmaz (13) - North Sound Judo Club

Parker Kirkland (12) - Unaffiliated

A Strong Showing on the National Stage

Held between June 19-21 in Spokane, Washington, the 2026 USA Judo Junior Olympic National & International Championships served as the trials for the Cadet (U17) World Championships, Junior (U21) World Championships, and Intermediate (U13) and Juvenile (U15) Panamerican Championships—making this event the most competitive youth judo event in the nation.

Amaris Bell (CADET FEMALE / UNDER 48KG), Logyn Lynn Puahala (CADET FEMALE / UNDER 63KG), and Shota Kundukhashvili (CADET MALE / UNDER 81KG) all took 1st in the Cadet division in their respective weight classes, directly qualifying themselves for the 2026 Guayaquil World Championships Cadets in Guayaquil, Ecuador this August.

USA Judo 2026 Cadet World Team, named at the 2026 USA Judo Junior Olympic Championships.

Additionally, Alexander Ananiades (INTERMEDIATE MALE / UNDER 55KG) and Parker Kirkland (INTERMEDIATE MALE / UNDER 66KG) both took 1st in the Intermediate (U13) division, while Edwin Vega (JUVENILE MALE / UNDER 45KG) and Jennah Yilmaz (JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 63KG) both took 1st in the Juvenile (U15) division in their respective weight classes, qualifying all four athletes for the Youth Panamerican Championships U13 & U15 in Cancun, Mexico this November.

Why it Matters

For YULF President and CEO Marti Malloy, the YJP is more than a grant program, it is an opportunity to provide today’s young athletes with the same support that helped shape her own career.

“As someone who grew up practicing judo in the Pacific Northwest without the financial means to travel and compete nationally, the YJP is deeply personal to me. It was only through the support of my local judo community that I was given the opportunity to test myself and compete at the next level. That support and the belief behind it was fundamental to my development and confidence building. Without it, I doubt I would be able to call myself a two-time Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist today. It has been an honor to work with Brad to pilot the YJP and help provide that same opportunity, encouragement and belief to the next generation of young judoka.”

For YULF COO Brad Albrecht, the YJP was designed with two goals in mind: expanding access to national competition while helping elite athletes continue progressing to the next level.

“As we were discussing how to pilot the Youth Judo Program, we thought about both getting more regional athletes to the national level as well as supporting existing national level athletes to reach the next level. In choosing the Junior Olympics participants, we were able to support athletes from across the country in both target categories.”

On top of that, the YJP Junior Olympic Championships Grant opportunity demonstrated a clear need within the judo community. The strong response reinforced Brad’s belief that investing in young athletes and continuing the YJP Junior Olympic Championships Grants is essential to strengthening the future of American judo

“We had an overwhelming number of applicants, encouraging us that this program is something that is needed and appreciated by judo families and the up-and-coming future of American judo.

We are very proud of the strong showing from all the athletes, with several of them achieving gold and being invited to the Pan Ams. Regardless of medals, we are proud to have been able to give all recipients a 'fighting chance.' We look forward to continuing the program and expanding support to additional athletes."

Complete Athlete Results:

Alexander Ananiades (11), LA Judo Club
- Results:
  - INTERMEDIATE MALE / UNDER 55KG – 1ST
  - INTERNATIONAL INTERMEDIATE MALE / UNDER 55KG – 2ND
Amaris Bell (16), Ki Itsu Sai National Training Center
- Results:
  - CADET FEMALE / UNDER 48KG – 1ST
  - IJF JUNIOR FEMALE / UNDER 48KG – 3RD
Edwin Vega (12), Judo Today MDC
- Results:
  - JUVENILE MALE / UNDER 45KG – 1ST
Eli Oshiro (16), Hawaii Kaikaku Judo Club
- Results:
  - CADET MALE / UNDER 55KG – 2ND
Logyn Lynn Puahala (16), Hawaii Kaikaku Judo Club
- Results:
  - CADET FEMALE / UNDER 63KG – 1ST
  - IJF JUNIOR FEMALE / UNDER 63KG – 3RD
Shota Kundukhashvili (16), Caucasus Judo
- Results:
  - CADET MALE / UNDER 81KG – 1ST
  - IJF JUNIOR MALE / UNDER 81 – 2ND
Thalia Zabal (14), Bay Area Fight Academy
- Results:
  - CADET FEMALE / OVER 70KG – 7TH
  - IJF JUNIOR FEMALE / UNDER 78KG – 7TH
  - INTERNATIONAL IJF JUNIOR FEMALE / UNDER 78KG – 3RD
Alice Masutsubo (14), Fresno Judo Club
- Results:
  - JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 44KG – 9TH
  - INTERNATIONAL JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 44KG – 1ST
Alison Nghiem (13), San Jose Judo Academy
- Results:
  - JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 40KG – 5TH
  - INTERNATIONAL JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 40KG – 3RD
  - INTERNATIONAL JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 44KG – 4TH
Ashlie Nghiem (16), San Jose Judo Academy
- Results:
  - CADET FEMALE / UNDER 52KG – 9TH
  - INTERNATIONAL CADET FEMALE / UNDER 52KG – 5TH
  - INTERNATINOAL IJF JUNIOR FEMALE / UNDER 52KG – 2ND
Jennah Yilmaz (13), North Sound Judo Club
- Results:
  - JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 63KG – 1ST
  - INTERNATIONAL JUVENILE FEMALE / UNDER 63KG – 2ND
Parker Kirkland (12), Unaffiliated
- Results:
  - INTERMEDIATE MALE / UNDER 66KG – 1ST

YJP Grant Recipients Shine at the 2026 Junior Olympic Championships

STEM to Summit: The Series