Wakefield Resident Takes Silver Medal in Judo

RIO DE JANEIRO — A Wakefield resident has taken home a silver medal in judo during the 2016 Olympic Games.

Current Wakefield resident Travis Stevens won the silver medal in the men's under-81 kilogram division during the 2016 Olympic judo tournament, falling to Russia's Khasan Khalmurzaev in the final match due to an ippon throw. En route to the gold medal match, Stevens topped No. 1 ranked Avtandil Tchrikishvili of Georgia to earn himself at least a silver medal.

Stevens, a Tacoma, WA, native who currently lives in Wakefield and trains at Pedro's Judo Center in Wakefield, has taken home the first men's medal in judo since his coach Jimmy Pedro took bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Stevens is just the third American man to ever win a silver medal in Judo. An American man has never won a gold medal in Judo.

Fellow training partner Kayla Harrison, a Danvers resident, is the lone American judoka (judo participant) to ever win gold at the Olympics. Harrison will begin her defense of her 2012 Olympic gold medal at 9 a.m on Aug. 11

Stevens' silver medal performance is a significant improvement from his showing at the 2012 games, where he placed fifth. Stevens also recently won gold at the Pan American Games and won a silver at the Grand Prix in Havana.

Photo credit: USOC/Team USA