DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Kayla Harrison beat Canada’s Amy Cotton to win the 78-kilogram division Saturday at the USA Judo World Cup at Doral Resort and Spa.
Harrison’s victory could push her to No. 1 in the world when the new rankings come out Monday.
The Ohio native, who now lives in Massachusetts, represents the United States’ best hope for a women’s judo gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
On the men’s side, Italy’s Francesco Bruyere used a sumi gaeshi to defeat Brazil’s Nacif Elias, Jr., a two-time World Cup champion, in the 81kg division. Brazil’s Hugo Pessanha, a two-time Pan Am champion, defeated Marcus Nyman for the gold medal in the 90kg division, Lukas Krpalek of the Czech Republic defeated Amel Mekic of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 100 kg class.
