First U.S. male to win silver in event since 1992

Published in the August 10, 2016 edition

TRAVIS STEVENS, who lives and trains in Wakefield, captured the silver medal in Judo at the Olympic Games.

TRAVIS STEVENS, who lives and trains in Wakefield, captured the silver medal in Judo at the Olympic Games.

RIO DE JANEIRO — Wakefield resident Travis Stevens earned himself a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro on Tuesday, Aug. 9 in the under 81-kilogram division in Judo.

This is Stevens’ first Olympic medal and his third appearance at an Olympic Games. Stevens trains at Pedro’s Judo Center in Wakefield.

Stevens, a Bellevue, Wash. native and elder statesman of the U.S. Judo team at age 30, won his first four matches.

He started the day against a Belgian judo competitor, who had beaten him previously the last time they met. Stevens was able to score with a yuko and advanced to the second round. He then squared off against an Uzbekistan competitor where Stevens out gripped, out attacked and ultimately pinned for ippon.

In the quarterfinals, Stevens went up against a Bulgarian competitor where he capitalized on a failed sacrifice throw and pinned him for the win. That match got him into the semi-finals where he would face off against world number one and rival on the international circuit, Avtandil Tchrikishvili from Georgia.

The semifinal match was one for the record books. Stevens had only beaten Tchrikishvili in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, but since then the Georgian came out on top each time except yesterday.

Head Coach Jimmy Pedro said, “You might see a cautious Travis in the beginning as the Georgian is very explosive. We need to take this match deep. Then Travis will be all over him and grind him out.”

Stevens was very methodical when fighting the Georgian this time around. At the four minute mark, the Wakefield resident was down by one penalty with only one minute to go, and in the blink of an eye, the Georgian made a drop attack and Stevens locked in a choke. He got his opponent’s lapel right under his chin and it was a perfect move. As Stevens cranked on his neck, the Georgian tapped out and Stevens moved on to the finals of the Olympic Games.

The final would be against a Russian, Khasan Khalmurzaev, whom Travis had faced before. Stevens came out strong, dominating in mat work and looking to grind the Russian into exhaustion which Stevens would eventually capitalize on. However, the Russian was able to counter Stevens’ throw and scored an ippon. The Russian claimed the Olympic gold and Stevens had to settle for silver.

Stevens was making his third Olympic appearance, having finished fifth in the 2012 London Games and ninth in Beijing in 2008.

Stevens became the first American since his coach, Jimmy Pedro, scored a bronze in the 2004 Athens Games and the first U.S. male to win silver since Jason Morris finished second in 1992 in Barcelona.

Next up for a competitor that trains at Pedro’s Judo Center is reigning Olympic Champion Kayla Harrison, who now lives in Marblehead. She competes on Thursday in the under 78-kilogram division.

Head Coach Pedro said, “She will face China first round. She’s a solid right sided judoka and it will be a fight for sure. But I am confident that Kayla will come out on top. Next round she will face the winner of Hungary and Japan. I anticipate that it will be the reigning world champion from Japan, which is who we figured she would be facing in her pool, but I know without a doubt Kayla is ready for both girls.”