Jimmy Pedro


James A. Pedro is an American retired World Champion and Olympic judoka, as well as a current judo coach.
Pedro currently holds a 7th degree black belt in judo. He is the coach of Kayla Harrison, the first and currently only American to win an Olympic gold medal in judo.

Early life and education

Pedro was born on October 30, 1970, in Danvers, Massachusetts. He was trained by his father James Pedro Sr., a 1976 Olympic Alternate. Pedro is currently a 7th degree Black Belt in judo, and also has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics and Organizational Behavior & Management from Brown University, whom he also wrestled for. His favorite judo technique is Sode Tsuri Komi Goshi, and his most effective is Juji Gatame.

Achievements

Pedro was the World Champion at 73 kg in 1999 after defeating Vitaly Makarov of Russia in the final, and also won bronze medals in the 1991 and 1995 World Championships. Pedro represented the United States in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Games, winning bronze in 1996 and 2004. His entry in the "Legends" section of a major judo magazine's web site lists 29 gold medals in international competition.

National honors

  • 04, 03, 00 & 99 Real Judo Magazine "Player of the Year"
  • 04 New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame
  • 04 Brown University Hall of Fame
  • 97 New York Athletic Club "Athlete of the Year"
  • 97 Black Belt Hall of Fame
  • 10x USJA Jr. National Champion
  • 6x US National Champion
  • 3x High School National Champion

    Gold major international medals

  • 04 & 00 German Team Championships
  • 04 & 03 New York Open - Manhattan, NY
  • 04 Pan Am Championships - Margarita Island, Venezuela
  • 03 Korean Open - Yongin University, Korea
  • 03 Rendez Vous Canada - Montreal, QC
  • 03 Tre Torri - Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy
  • 03 Puerto Rico Open - Salinas, Puerto Rico
  • 03 British Open - London, England
  • 00 Europa Cup Team Championships
  • 99 World Championships - Birmingham, England
  • 99 Pan Am Games - Winnipeg, Canada
  • 98 US Open - Colorado Springs, CO, US
  • 98 Pan Am Championships - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • 98 French Open - Paris, France
  • 98 Austrian Open - Leonding, Austria
  • 98 Shoriki Cup - Tokyo, Japan
  • 97 & 95 German Open - Munich, Germany
  • 97 Pan Am Championships - Guadalajara, Mexico
  • 95 US Open - Macon, GA, US
  • 95 Pan Am Games - Mar de Plata, Argentina
  • 93 Pacific Rim Championships - Auckland, New Zealand
  • 92 Guido Sieni - Sassari, Italy
  • 92 Pan Am Championships - Santiago, Chile
  • 92 US Open - Colorado Springs, CO, US
  • 90 & 89 US Open - Colorado Springs, CO, US
  • 90 Tre Torri - Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy

    Silver major international medals

  • 04 Hungarian Open - Budapest, Hungary
  • 04 German Open - Hamburg, Germany
  • 03 US Open - Las Vegas, NV
  • 93 Korean Open - Seoul, Korea
  • 93 French Open - Paris, France
  • 92 Hungarian Open - Budapest, Hungary
  • 90 Goodwill Games - Seattle, WA, US

    Bronze major international medals

  • 04 Olympic Games - Athens, Greece
  • 99 Kano Cup - Tokyo, Japan
  • 98 German Open - Munich, Germany
  • 97 Austrian Open - Leonding, Austria
  • 96 French Open - Paris, France
  • 96 Olympic Games - Atlanta, GA, US
  • 95 World Championships - Makuhari, Japan
  • 95 Pacific Rim Championships - Sydney, Australia
  • 94 Goodwill Games - St. Petersburg, Russia
  • 92 French Open - Paris, France
  • 92 German Open - Munich, Germany
  • 91 US Open - Colorado Springs, CO, US
  • 91 Pan Am Games - Havana, Cuba
  • 91 World Championships - Barcelona, Spain
  • 91 Pacific Rim Championships - Honolulu, HI, US
  • 90 Jr. World Championships - Dijon, France
  • 90 Tblissi International - Tblissi, Georgia
  • 88 Shoriki Cup - Tokyo, Japan

    5th place in major international events

  • 00 Olympic Games - Sydney, Australia
  • 94 Kano Cup - Tokyo, Japan
  • 93 World Championships - Hamilton, Canada

    Post-competition career

Pedro retired from competitive judo after the 2004 Olympics. He has worked for Monster.com, promoted a brand of tatami training mats used for judo and jujutsu practice and competition, and been the subject of a biographical movie. A newaza specialist, Jimmy currently owns and operates Pedro's Judo Center in Wakefield, Massachusetts, and teaches clinics and seminars throughout the country. Pedro also coached the U.S. Olympic Judo team at the 2012 Olympics in London. He is the national sales executive for FUJI Mats + Facility Design. He is Kayla Harrison's coach. Harrison was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in judo.
Fury on the mat is a biographical movie about Jimmy Pedro. Pedro currently owns and operates the renowned Mat and Outfitting company, www.FujiMats.com and sister company www.fujisports.com

Personal life

Pedro is married and the father of four children.

Notable students

  • Kayla Harrison
  • Travis Stevens
  • Ronda Rousey
  • Rick Hawn
  • Janine Nakao
  • Taraje Williams-Murray
  • Theresa Roche

    Published works

  • Judo Techniques and Tactics, Jimmy Pedro and William Durbin.