In mid-April, SouthWest Judo Academy athlete and coach Olivia Knights travelled to Lima, Peru to represent Australia at the prestigious 2025 Junior Panamerican-Oceania Championships. The event brought together 214 judoka from 26 nations, competing across two days of elite international judo.
Individual Competition – Women’s Under 57kg
Olivia competed in the Women’s Under 57kg division, which featured 21 athletes. After receiving a bye in the opening round, Olivia faced Chile’s Isidora Palma in the Round of 16.
The match was immediately physical and fast-paced. Palma scored a waza-ari with harai-goshi and a yuko with kosoto-gari in the opening seconds. Olivia responded with tremendous spirit, clawing back two yuko scores—one with kouchi-gari and another with a nidan kosoto-gari inside the last two minutes. However, her opponent secured victory with an o-soto-gari for ippon in the final minute.
Unfortunately, Palma was defeated in her quarter-final, meaning Olivia did not progress via repechage.
Mixed Teams Event – Team Australia
The following day, Olivia was selected to compete for Australia in the Mixed Teams event, a 3-men, 3-women team format where the first nation to four wins advances.
In the first round, Australia faced hosts Peru, with Olivia’s teammate filling the Under 57kg spot. Australia lost the match 4-0.
In the repechage, Olivia stepped up against Colombia. With the team down 3-2, Olivia needed a win to keep Australia’s hopes alive. Despite her best efforts, she was thrown for waza-ari and subsequently held down for ippon, ending Australia’s campaign with a 4-2 loss.
Post-Tournament Training Camp with Olympic Champion
After the competitions, Olivia joined a 3-day international training camp led by Argentina’s Paula Pareto, Olympic Gold Medallist (Rio 2016) and Silver Medallist (Beijing 2008). This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allowed Olivia and her Australian teammates to learn from one of the sport’s greatest champions.
While the outcomes weren’t quite what Olivia had hoped for, this tournament marked a huge milestone in her international judo journey. Her growth, courage, and determination continue to inspire our club.
We’re so proud of you, Olivia—and can’t wait to see what’s next!
Full Results
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