Iolani Alumni

As the only (male) martial artist to represent Hawaii at the 2008 Olympic Games, U.S. Judo Team member Taylor Takata ‘00 was featured on the cover of the September 2008 issue of MMA Hawaii magazine.

Takata, who earned a gold medal at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials at 66-kg, has his sights set on returning to the Olympics in 2012 and improving on his 9th place finish in Beijing.

He is currently training at the Olympic Center in Colorado Springs while also finishing his degree in finance.

Last weekend, Takata finished tied for 5th at the U.S Open Judo Championships.

Event Date: Sunday, July 20th, 2008

Taylor Takata ‘00, the first judoka from Hawaii to qualify for the Olympics in 12 years, will be hosting a fundraiser dinner this Sunday before he heads off to Beijing to represent the United States of America in early August.

The Hawaiian-style dinner will be held at the Iolani Student Center on July 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to help raise funds for training and other associated expenses.

Athletes, such as Takata, must pay the majority of the costs themselves to compete in the Olympics. The dinner is $40 per adults and $20 per students (18 and under) with children 6 and under free.

Donations can also be made to Friends of Taylor Takata at American Savings Bank.

If you are interested in attending, e-mail Nick Lee at nicholasklee@gmail.com or call 348-3267. Tickets are also available at Iolani School in the Office of Institutional Advancement or the Athletic Office.

Read more about Takata and his recent clinic »

[Photo: Honolulu Advertiser]

Event Date: Sunday, July 13th, 2008

Taylor Takata ‘00, who recently qualified for the U.S. Olympic judo team, will hold a judo clinic on Sunday, July 13th in the ‘Iolani School athletic complex.

The first session will be held 9 a.m. to noon for children ages 12 and under. The second will be 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and is for ages 13 and older.

Cost is $35 per session for participants, $10 per session for spectators.

The seminar will focus on the latest judo techniques at the Olympic level from a world-class coaching staff, featuring Takata, two-time World Judo bronze medalist Danieska Carrion, two-time U.S. World Judo Team member Todd Brehe, and U.S. National Judo Team member Jeff Sato.

Funds raised from the clinic will help cover the traveling costs and training expenses for Takata as he prepares for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Donations can also be made to Friends of Taylor Takata at American Savings Bank.

To register for the clinic, e-mail nicholasklee@gmail.com or call 348-3267.

With a dominating performance at the U.S. Olympic Judo Trials, Taylor Takata ‘00 punched his ticket to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Takata will represent Team USA in the 66kg division (145.5 lb) after defeating No.2-seed Jeremy Liggett in the finals last Friday.

To reach the finals, the top-seeded Takata pinned eighth-seed Tanner Singh in the quarterfinal rounds then held off No. 4-seed Justin Flores in the semifinals.

Takata is just the third judoka from Hawai’i to represent the U.S. in the Olympics and the first since Clifton Sunada in 1996.

[Photo: US Judo]