Biography:
Career Accolades:
Texas State Champion Six consecutive years Juniors and 2019 Seniors
Currently ranked #1 Heavyweight Cadet (15-18), and # 1 IJF Junior (under 21) Heavyweight
Currently ranked #4 in the Nation in Senior Elite Olympic Heavyweight division
Made history at the 2018 USA Judo Senior Nationals (18+) as the youngest competitor (14) to place in the medal rounds winning the Bronze medal in the Elite Athlete Olympic division, also taking Silver in the Brown Belt heavyweight division
World Team slot earned for 2019 IJF Junior World Championships held in Marrakesh, Morocco October 16-19th
World Team slot earned for 2019 Cadet World Championships to held in Almaty, Kazakhstan September 25-28th
USA JUDO Athlete of the Month November 2014
World Team member Infantile Pan American Games Argentina 2015
Top 4 Finishes in Judo:
2019 U.S. Open Judo Championships Gold Cadet +90kg, Gold IJF Junior +100 kg, Silver +100 kg Senior Elite
2019 USA JUDO Junior Olympic Champion Gold National and Gold International IJF Division, Silver National Cadet and Silver International Cadet
Gold 2019 Senior Nationals Brown Belt, Bronze Senior Elite
2018 USA Judo Senior Nationals Bronze medal Elite Athlete Olympic division, Silver in the Brown Belt heavyweight division
High School/College Academic Achievements:
A/B Honor Roll Gregory Portland High 3 years consecutively
Favorite Athletic Moment:
Taking Bronze in the Senior Elite division at the age of 14 at the 2018 Senior Nationals becoming the youngest athlete to do so
Favorite Judo Technique:
All of them! Judo is a beautiful collection of both power and grace
Other Family Members who do judo:
Father Adrian, Sister Lilliana, and Brother Brayden
Why you started judo?:
I started Judo to compliment my BJJ performance and instantly fell in love with it. When I learned that it was an Olympic sport Judo became my life, and goal to become the first American Male to win an Olympic Gold medal
Influential Athletes:
Teddy Riner
Hitoshi Saito
Masahiko Kimura
Yasuyki Muneta
Future Aspirations:
2024 & 2028 Olympic games and becoming a middle school level physical education teacher
Hobbies:
Weight lifting, racquetball, gaming, and BJJ
Secret Talent:
BJJ Purple Belt and can Dead lift over 500 lbs
Parents/Family Members:
Mom: Heather Konoval
Dad: Adrian Konoval
Home Dojo:
Mayo Quanchi Judo and Wrestling Club
Coventry, RI
Coach:
Serge Bouyssou
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