2003 Central American Championships Opening Ceremony

UNIÓN PANAMERICANA DE JUDO		UNIÃO PANAMERICANA DE JUDÔ
PANAMERICAN JUDO UNION		UNION PANAMERICAINE DE JUDO

City of Guatemala, February 8th, (10:00 p.m) PJU Press Commission. Today, February 8^th 2003, at 3 pm (15:00 hrs.) started the opening ceremony of the Central American Juvenile Judo Championships, organized by the National Judo Federation of Guatemala, under the supervision of the Central American Judo Confederation.

47 Competitors (in all the different weight divisions), 13 coaches, 5 delegates and 10 referees will be representing their respective countries in a two-day competition. This event will also help to complete the preparation of the participants of the technical seminars organized by the Central American Judo Confederation.

In the Opening Ceremony of the Central American Judo Championships, the members of the PJU Executive Committee were present: Eng. Jaime Casanova Martinez (Dominican Republic) President; Lic. Frank Silva (Nicaragua) Vice-president of Central and North America; Cr. Oscar Cassineri (Argentina) General Secretary, Eng. Edgar Claure (Bolivia) Treasurer, Lic. Frank Fullerton (USA) Sports Director and Eng. Carlos Diaz (Venezuela) Referee Director. Central American Judo Confederation was represented by its President Mrs. Marta Alonso (Honduras) and the National Federation of Guatemala also by its President, Mr. Oscar CanoIng. Guillermo Sánchez (Costa Rica) and Lic. Luis Chévez (El Salvador), Presidents of countries member to the Central American Judo Confederation, also attended the Opening Ceremony

After the show of presentation on the part of the participating delegations started the salutation of the group of referees who would work in this event, referees from Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The competitors member of the participating delegations and of the refereeing body waited for the official presentation of the authorities from the Panamerican Judo Union, Central American Judo Confederation, and of the National Judo Federation from Guatemala.

Continuing with the ceremony, Mr. Oscar Cano spoke to greet and thank all the attendants for their participation in such important event. He highlighted the efforts made by the National Federation of Guatemala for the organization of this event, as well as the first Technical Seminar, which have successfully finished yesterday night after handing in all the corresponding certificates. “ I would like to thank all the PJU Executive Committee members for their permanent support, all the Central American countries and especially the judo from Guatemala. It is for us a great pleasure to count with the presence of all the PJU executive Committee members, who decided to do their first 2003 meeting in our country, which makes us feel very honored. To the Central American Countries, I thank you all once again for your support and for your trust in the organization of this Championship. Thank you for being with us and for giving this event the prestige it has with you presence. I’d like to thank all the Executive Committee of the National Judo Federation from Guatemala, for their support and all the work done to allow us now carry out this event the best way possible. To you all: Thank you!”

After the words of Mr. Oscar Cano, the President of the Central American Judo Confederation spoke, Mrs. Marta Alonso, who after greeting all the authorities present said: “ I would like to thank all the PJU Executive Committee members for their presence and support in this event, especially our PJU President, who year after year come to our Central American events. I would also like to thank Lic. Frank Fullerton for his valuable and constant support to all the Central American countries and all the presidents member of the Confederation for being here, which shows the importance of this juvenile category, where lies the future of our judo”.

Marta invited Ing. Jaime Casanova, President

of the Panamerican Judo Union, to say a word for the attending public and finally open the 2003 Central American Judo Championships.

"Dear friends from the EC of the PJU, Mrs. Marta Alonso (president of the CJC), Mr. Oscar Cano (president of the NJFV), friends from National Federations from Central America, dear participating athletes, dear delegates, referees and dear public, Dear friends you all !! It is a great honor for me to participate once again in this Central American Judo Event. In this opportunity, this event has a special importance since it is opening the Panamerican Judo Union 2003 Activity Program, and it is not a coincidence to have chosen Guatemala for our first EC meeting. With this meeting, we would like to recognize the job that the Central American Judo Confederation has been doing for the last years, and the National Federation from Guatemala has been a fundamental support as the axis of this zone. During 2001, the PJU organized their first meeting in the city of Panama, which by he way it’s a pity that they are not here with us, for the reasons we all do already know. At the end of that same year, we attended the Celebration of the Central American Games, where traditionally our sport participates and that event was celebrated in this same scenario as well. During the 2002, I also attended this Central American Games in the city of Tegucigalpa (Honduras) where also the congress of our confederation took place, and now once again, here, in Guatemala, to be with you in this great event, were the PJU has contributed with one judogi for each of the participating athletes, and which we think it is also a small collaboration for our competitors from Central America. Finally, I will take advantage of this moment here to make some recognitions: Firstly, to Mrs. Marta Alonso, President of the Central American Judo Confederation and of the National Judo Federation from Honduras, for her true effort for the benefit of Central American and Panamerican Judo. Secondly, to Mr. Oscar Cano, President of the National Judo Federation from Guatemala, because his persistent job is producing results, and you can only achieve this with hard work and dedication”.

Immediately after that, Mr. Oscar Cano received an insignia with the shape of a silver clock, which was handed in by the PJU President, Eng. Jaime Casanova, for his contribution in the development and strengthening of Panamerican Judo, and especially, of Central American Judo.

The Panamerican Judo Union also handed in a recognition to Mr. Fernando Caceres, Referee Director of the Central American Judo Confederation.

Right after, the National Federation of Guatemala represented by Mr. Oscar Cano handed in a recognition insignia to Mr. Frank Fullerton, for his permanent support to Judo In Guatemala.


Doña Marta Alonso, Presidenta de la Confederación Centroamericana de Judo, recibe un hermoso reloj de plata de la Unión Panamericana de Judo.	El Señor Oscar Cano, Presidente de la Federación Nacional de Judo de Guatemala también recibe este hermoso presente de mano de las autoridades de la Unión Panamericana de Judo.	El Ing. Fernando Cáceres, quien fue pieza fundamental en la organización de este evento y de los seminarios técnicos de Judo, recibe igual distinción de parte del Presidente de la Unión Panamericana de Judo Ing. Jaime Casanova.