Prize Money to be Awarded at Senior Nationals Beginning in 2024

(Colorado Springs, CO) – USA Judo is pleased to announce the addition of prize money for senor elite and visually impaired categories beginning at the 2024 Senior National Championships in Ontario, CA.

At its meeting during the President’s Cup, the USA Judo Board of Directors launched a new initiative and fundraising campaign to provide $1,000 in prize money for the Olympic and Paralympic weight categories with $500 being awarded to the gold medalist, $250 for the silver medalist and $125 for each of the bronze medalists.

More than $70,000 in pledges have been made to support the Senior Nationals Award Fund with donors receiving the opportunity to select which weight category they would like to support. Donors are asked to contribute a minimum of $250 per weight category for the five Senior National Championships (2024-2028) leading up to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and will be given the opportunity to present medals at each Senior Nationals. Donors also will be invited to a VIP reception and be listed on the USA Judo website.

“One of my goals as a board member is to help support our athletes. To help grow participation at our Senior National Championships and reward our athletes for reaching the podium, I committed to fund prize money for a weight division for five years through the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles,” said Jeff LeForce, himself a former competitor and current IJF Continental referee. “I am excited that so many others have joined in to fund prize money for our Senior National Championships. I hope others will join us to help fully fund all elite divisions through the 2028 Games.”

Members of the USA Judo family interested in funding a weight category are asked to contact USA Judo CEO Keith Bryant at Keith.Bryant@usajudo.us.

Additional information about the program and Senior Nationals registration will be released in the coming months.