FOUR JUDOKAS EAGER TO TAKE ON COMPETITION

A preview of Team Guam heading to Palau for the 2025 Pacific Mini Games June 29 – July 9 amongst 24 island nations

By Jay Leon Guerrero

The Guam Judo Association will be taking four young athletes to the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau June 29-July 9. Judo makes its return to the Mini Games after it was not offered in Saipan two years ago.

Eric Blas will lead the contingent to Palau as head coach with the athletes: Jed Bejado, Kyle Nunez, Hailee Webber and Nathan Meyer who are all eager and excited to represent Guam.

Webber, the lone female competitor, is eager to share this experience with her teammates. “It will be a good experience for all of us. It will be our first time competing together as a team,” said Webber. 

An incoming junior attending the Academy of Our Lady of Guam, she has previously competed with Nunez in tournaments overseas and this will be Bejado and Meyer’s first competition.

“Our game plan is to focus on our team and what we are doing as opposed to comparing ourselves to our opponents,” said Webber.

Nunez, a 17-year incoming senior from GW, said it’s going to be nerve-wracking but at the same time exciting to compete for Guam. “It will also be great to see other athletes like me, who are my age, competing for Guam.”

“I have a lot of confidence in our coaches and the work they’ve done to prepare us. We are going to Japan before the Mini Games to train and that will help us prepare,” said Nunez.

The team will travel to Fukuoka, Japan, to train with the best Judo program that has produced World and Olympic medalists. The training will be at Tokai University/ Fukuoka High School and Nunez said he is excited to go back to Japan again to train.

“It will be tough and hard on the team, but it will help us for this competition in Palau,” said Nunez.

Webber, who is also half Palauan, said she is looking forward to going back to Palau and competing in front of supporters and family members. “I also have some cousins from here that are on the softball team. I’m looking forward to competing in the same Games with them.”

“Overall, I look forward to this experience and sharing it with my friends from Va’a, Volleyball, and Softball,” said Webber. 

Judo kicks off towards the end of the Games on July 7-8.