WARSAW, Poland - After a two-year break from European events, Justin Flores, a 2005 World Team member, closed out the winter leg of this year's judo tour with a fifth-place finish in the 66kg division March 3 at the Warsaw World Cup.

Flores, (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center), held three-time European Champion Elchin Ismaylov (AZE) scoreless in his opening match and won by a waza-ari (half-point).

In the next match, Flores threw Simon Mohorovic (SLO) three times, capitalizing on his kata guruma (fireman's carry) to beat Mohorovic by a yuko (quarter-point).

Flores met a familiar opponent in the next round - Pedro Dias (POR). One of the top 10 players in the world last year, Dias lost to Flores at the Tallinn World Cup in 2005. Flores continued his success against Dias in Warsaw, beating Dias by ippon to advance to the medal rounds.

Flores looked to be destined for a medal when he threw Oscar Penas (ESP), an eight-time World Cup Champion and fifth place finisher at the Athens Olympic Games, for a waza-ari in the semifinals, but Penas came back, throwing Flores for ippon with less than two minutes remaining.

Flores had to bow out during his bronze medal match against Alim Gadanov (RUS) with an injury and finished fifth overall.

Flores' results were the best for an American male in this year's World Cup events.

His teammate, Nick Kossor, (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center), picked up his first A-level match with a 1-2 record in the 60kg division. Kossor held his Fabrice Flammand (BEL) scoreless in his first match, sending the fight into Golden Score before he got thrown for a yuko to the eventual bronze medalist. In the repechage, Kossor beat Pawel Jalbrykowski (POL) in the first round but lost to Toshiaki Umetsu (JPN) by waza-ari and then ippon in the next round.

"These guys are improving every time they step on the mat and are representing just part of the USA Judo program, which is definitely on the upswing," said 2008 U.S. Olympic head coach nominee Jason Morris (Glenville, N.Y.), about the U.S. players.

RESULTS

Men's 60kg
1. Ruslan Kishmakhov (RUS)
2. Laszlo Burjan (HUN)
3. Bence Zambori (HUN)
3. Fabrice Flammand (BEL)
5. Kazou Yonetomi (JPN)
5. Vakhtangi (GEO)
7. Alexandre Lee (BRA)
7. Georgia Zantaraya (UKR)

Men's 66kg
1. Joao Derly (BRA)
2. Oscar Penas (ESP)
3. Alim Gadanov (RUS)
3. Toshiaki Umetsu (JPN)
5. Justin Flores (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center / San Shi), 3-2
5. Serhiy Drebot (UKR)
7. Ramil Gasimov (AZE)
7. Pedro Dias (POR)

Men's 73kg
1. Salamu Mezhidov (RUS)
2. Leandro Guilheiro (BRA)
3. Sezer Huysuz (TUR)
3. Christoph Stangl (AUT)
5. Yasutaka Narita (JPN)
5. Joao Pina (POR)
7. Mindia Khomizuri (GEO)
7. Krzystof Wilkomirski (POL)
 
- USA Judo

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