News from August 2008
August 27. DYNAMO's USA SAMBO team is pleased to welcome SAMBO and MMA Champion (and our old friends) Oleg Taktarov (left of Sensei) and Viktor Tatarkin (Right of Sensei) to our practice. They came to help the team to prepare for upcoming World Championships, and on how to do an effective leg bar. We thank them and looks forward to their continuing guidance on our training.
Also in photo, team USA jacket from the recent 2008 Beijing Olympics (in front of Viktor).
August 27. DYNAMO member, Klar Kuo's mom, has just returned from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with momentos, photos and stories of brush with fame (she was the security officer accompanying the Gold Medal US Women's Soccer team). Photos to come.
August 23. Team DYNAMO competed at the Golden State Judo Invitational.
Congratulations to Bagus Rahadian, Joey Schwartz, Romeo Soofiani, Vitaliy Staseyev, Armand Farrokh, Laslov Sherman and Kayvon Pedram for competing and supporting The Golden State Open Judo Invitational (last Saturday, August 23rd). This tournament was dedicated to Sensei Isao Wada, a great leader, Sensei and a friend, who past away on July 28, 2008.
With contestants from throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada, this tournament was the one of the toughest in California.
Special thanks to Soofiani family, for hosting and inviting all DYNAMO's and parents after the competition to a wonderful dinner in the Roberto's Restorante.
The following placed-
Bagus Rahadian-1st
Joey Schwartz -1st
Romeo Soofiani-1st
Vitaliy Staseyev -3rd
Armand Farrokh- 4th
Laslov Sherman-4th
Photos of team DYNAMO at the Golden State Judo Invitation.
August 20. We received a congratulatory note from our friends at the Asian SAMBO Federation. We appreciate their recognition of our recent wins, and wish them, and all SAMBO competitors, the best, in the upcoming world competitions. They have a very informative website about SAMBO in Asia at http://www.sambo-asia.org/en/index.php?page=10.
August 19. A great victory for DYNAMO, Congratulations to Joey Schwartz, Murtaza Abbas, Bagus Rahadian and Armand Farrokh, for competing in the 2008 Nikkie Games Judo Tournament (last Sunday August 17th) hosted by NANKA JUDO YUDANSHA-KAI (Southern California Black Belt Association) . These four judokas from team DYNAMO competed courageously and successfully. Every competitor or viewer was engaged in a day long learning experience in a tournament with Judo, Karate and Kendo. (Budo) Anyone who attended has lots of fun enjoying a taste of true Japanese culture.
The following placed-
Joey Schwartz -1st
Murtaza Abas- 2nd Bagus Rahadian- 4th
Armand Farrokh- 4th
Next competition for team DYNAMO is the Golden State Games (Judo) on August 23. And special thanks to Rahadian family, for hosting and inviting all DYNAMOs and their parents after the competition to a wonderful dinner in the Bagus' house.
August 13. Hope everyone is enjoying great Judo action from the Beijing Olympics. So far gold medalists (men's) are from both Asia and Europe, showing the sports popularity and parity worldwide. Wrestling (Greco Roman) has also started, and there are matches/finals daily until the 21st. On a great note, Klar's mom, who is accompanying the US Women's Soccer team in China, is in Shanghai now, as the US Women's team won its group, and is advancing to the quarterfinals.
August 8. The 2008 Summer Olympics is commencing is Beijing. In the next 2 weeks world's best wrestlers and Judo competitors are all on stage in Beijing. In case it's not explained (in werstling), each of the top 32 ranked countries (from world ranking) can send just 1 person, per weight group/division/gender, to compete in the Olympics. So every competitor is the best the country has, and an Olympic gold is truly the highest medal one can earn in the sport.
NBC will be streaming some matches at www.nbcolympics.com . For wrestling most final/medal matches will start at 5:00 PM Beijing time (which is 2 am Pacific time. It is unclear if the footage will be archived, but we will post links if archived. Wrestling Schedule (9:30 am qualification rounds, final rounds in the afternoon)
(All times are Beijing time, so go back 15 hours for Pacific time):
August 12: 55 KG Greco, 60 KG Greco
August 13 66 KG Greco, 74 KG Greco
August 14 84 KG Greco, 96 KG Greco, 120 KG Greco
August 16 48 KG Women's Freestyle 55 KG Women's Freestyle
August 17 63 KG Women's Freestyle 72 KG Women's Freestyle
August 19 55 KG Men's Freestyle 60 KG Men's Freestyle
August 20 66 KG Men's Freestyle 74 KG Men's Freestyle
August 21 84 KG Men's Freestyle 96 KG Men's Freestyle, 120 KG Men's Freestyle
Judo Schedule (12 noon preliminary, 6 pm final/medal rounds):
August 9: 60 KG Men, 48 KG Women
August 10: 66 KG Men, 52 KG Women
August 11: 73KG Men, 57 KG Women
August 12: 81 KG Men, 63 KG Women
August 13: 90 KG Men, 70 KG Women
August 14: 100KG Men, 78 KG Women
August 15: 100+ KG Men, 78+ KG Women
Many DYNAMO people are at the Olympics (starting with Russian Premier V. Putin). One of our DYNAMO member, Klar Kuo's mom, is also at the Olympics, on security detail of the US Women's Soccer Team. So lets all cheer for team USA and for all wrestlers and Judo competitors at the Olympics.
August 1. Welcome to August. Team DYNAMO will be competing this month in 2 important CA Judo competitions. We look forward to great results.