SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2002 12:30pm
UCLA John Wooden Center, Los Angeles


Photo: K&M Digital Photo

We held over a dozen major events during 2002, including the second annual US Sumo Open on August 25, 2002. The Open featured 50 international sumo champions from 13 countries. Several national and world champions were present. Once again, two-time World Sumo Champion Svetoslav Binev attended as a special guest. UCLA Kyodo Taiko also performed drumming throughout the competition.

The competition was fierce, dominated by international teams. American athletes only did well in the men's lightweight, while a group of well-trained European teams took most of the medals. For a comprehensive 6-page article on the 2002 US Sumo Open from "Grappling Magazine".

2ND Annual Top Athletes

	Aap Upenski Estonia 6'2"     253 lbs Middleweight Gold, Openweight Gold		Petar Stoyanov Bulgaria 6'6"     331 lbs Heavyweight Silver
	Barnabas Toth Hungary 5'11"     342 lbs Heavyweight Bronze, Openweight Silver		Erge Nugis Estonia 5'9"     176 lbs Middleweight Gold, Openweight Bronze
	Viktoria Kuznetsova Estonia 5'5"     179 lbs Heavyweight Silver, Openweight Gold		Mille Sang Estonia 5'5"     216 lbs Heavyweight Gold, Openweight Silver

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2002 MEN'S RESULTS

LIGHTWEIGHT
1st: Trevor Roberts (USA)
2nd: Jason Maronz (USA)
3rd: Trent Sabo (USA)

MIDDLEWEIGHT
1st: Aap Uspenski (Estonia)
2nd: Marek Paczkow (Poland)
3rd: Asi Faoa (Samoa)

HEAVYWEIGHT
1st: Petar Stoyanov (Bulgaria)
2nd: Madis Ounapuu (Estonia)
3rd: Barnabas Toth (Hungary)

OPENWEIGHT
1st: Aap Uspenski (Estonia)
2nd: Barnabas Toth (Hungary)
3rd: Troy Collins (USA)

2002 WOMEN's results

LIGHTWEIGHT&MIDDLEWEIGHT
1st: Erge Nugis (Estonia)
2nd: May Chung (Hong Kong)
3rd: Ashlee Irish (USA)

HEAVYWEIGHT
1st: Mille Sang (Estonia)
2nd: Viktoria Kuznetsova (Estonia)
3rd: Mahshid Tarazi (USA)

OPENWEIGHT
1st: Viktoria Kuznetsova (Estonia)
2nd: Mille Sang (Estonia)
3rd: Erge Nugisi (Estonia)