Judo: Harrison Vows To Win Gold In London

United States’ first Olympic gold medalist in judo, Kayla Harrison, says that it will take her five matches to reach the pinnacle of the 78 kilogramme weight class at the London games.

It won’t be easy, of course, but the 172-pound Middletown native has beaten her division’s 13 other direct qualifiers in previous matches and enters the fray as a favourite to clinch gold. She’s ranked No. 2 in the world by the International Judo Federation.

“I don’t have the best techniques and I’m not the most stylish or flashy player, but I have a lot of heart,” Harrison said from Wakefield, Mass., where she trains at Pedro’s Judo Center with two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jimmy Pedro and his father, Jim Pedro Sr.

“Because of things that happened in the past, I think I’m a lot more mentally tough than the girls I compete against.”

Five years ago Harrison was an emotionally shattered 16-year-old recovering from sexual abuse by her ex-judo coach, Daniel Doyle.

She doesn’t let what happened then define her now.

The 21-year-old achieved one of two lifelong goals by winning gold in the 2010 World Judo Championships in Tokyo. The other milestone awaits in London.

Jimmy Pedro believes Harrison’s physical strength and mental fortitude will propel her to Olympic gold, and the elder Pedro – known as Big Jim – agrees. He said Harrison is the embodiment of determination.

“She can beat everybody,” he said. “When she’s on, she can beat the hell out of them.”

Jeannie Yazell is counting down the days until her daughter competes at the ExCeL international exhibition and convention center. She’ll be there, wearing her Team Kayla shirt and leading a 15-member cheering squad that includes Kayla’s stepfather, Mike, and two siblings.

Yazell, a nurse, has been Harrison’s most ardent supporter. When obligations or expenses have prevented her from attending overseas tournaments, she has fired up the family computer in the wee hours of morning, watched online, and awoken the house with celebratory outbursts.

“Kayla’s tenacious. She never, never gives up,” Yazell said. “I’ve seen her win matches literally in the last second.