Jessica García (born July 12, 1980, in San Juan) is a Puerto Rican judoka who competed in the women's lightweight category.[1] She picked up a total of twenty-one medals in her career, including a prestigious gold from the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayagüez, and represented her nation Puerto Rico at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[2]

Jessica García
Personal information
Full nameJessica García
NationalityPuerto Rico
Born (1980-07-12) 12 July 1980 (age 44)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Height1.67 m (5 ft 5+12 in)
Weight57 kg (126 lb)
Sport
SportJudo
Event57 kg
Medal record
Women's judo
Representing  Puerto Rico
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Mayagüez 63 kg

Garcia qualified as a lone female judoka for the Puerto Rican squad in the women's lightweight class (57 kg) at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, by granting a tripartite invitation from the International Judo Federation.[3] Garcia received a bye in the first round, before she succumbed to an ippon victory and an inner-thigh throw (uchi mata) from German judoka and eventual Olympic champion Yvonne Bönisch just seventeen seconds into her opening match.[4] In the repechage, Garcia gave herself a chance for an Olympic bronze medal, but she was duly wrapped in a scarf hold (kesa gatame) and pinned down the tatami by defending Olympic champion Isabel Fernández of Spain for two minutes and thirty-two seconds during their first playoff of the draft.[5][6]

When her nation Puerto Rico hosted the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayagüez, Garcia reached the pinnacle of her sporting career, as she toppled Venezuela's Ysis Barreto down the tatami on an ippon to claim the women's lightweight judo title.[2][7]

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jessica García". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Puerto Rico Won Two Gold Medals in Judo". Mayagüez 2010. 19 July 2010. Archived from the original on November 26, 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Pillot Ortiz, Victor (8 June 2004). "Jessica García clasifica invitada" [Jessica García was invited to compete] (in Spanish). El Nuevo Día. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Yvonne Bönisch gewinnt erstes Gold für Deutschland" [Yvonne Bönisch wins first gold for Germany] (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  5. ^ "La yudoca Isabel Fernández tropieza con la cubana Lupetey en su lucha por el bronce" [Judoka Isabel Fernández encounters the Cuban Lupetey in their fight for bronze] (in Spanish). El País. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Isabel Fernández también fue víctima de la maldición del bronce" [Isabel Fernández was also a victim of the "bronze medal" curse] (in Spanish). ABC. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Hermanos triunfadores en judo" [Brothers triumphed in judo] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
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