Cuban judoka Luis Torres Cobas received one of the 2025 annual awards from the Pan American Judo Confederation (CPJ), the CPJ news panel reported.

Among the candidates for the various categories were also Iván Felipe Silva (Male Senior), Dayanara Curbelo (Female Junior), Sheila Samarian Hernández (Female Senior Judo), and Luis Torres Cobas (Male Veterans), as well as four coaches and one referee.

Julio Alderete (Senior), Jonrrette Díaz Socorro (Junior), Ivis Dueñas Alonso (Para Judo), and Israel Hernández (Junior)—the latter with the United States team—are the selected coaches, awaiting the results.

Among those responsible for officiating was Yadier Galindo García (developing prospect).

Below is the announcement published this Saturday with all the award winners to date:

"We are proud to present the official list of athletes who have made a difference this year. After a rigorous deliberation process by the CPJ Recognition Commission, these are the judokas who take home the highest honor at the 2025 CPJ Annual Awards."

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Female Senior: Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (Canada)
Male Senior: Daniel Cargnin (Brazil)
Female Junior: Nicole Marques (Brazil)
Male Junior: Jesse Barbosa (Brazil)
Female Cadet: Clarice Ribeiro (Brazil)
Male Cadet: Arthur Bonato (Brazil)
Female Veterans: Daryane Santos (Brazil)
Male Veterans: Luis Torres Cobas (Cuba)

PARA JUDO / ADAPTED

Male: Wilians Araujo (Brazil)
Female: Brenda Freitas (Brazil)

KATA TEAM

Brynn Buskerud & Haley Buskerud (United States)

REFEREES

Orlando Cruz (IJF A Level / Dominican Republic)
Tracy Crawford (IJF B Level / United States)
Wallace Carvalho (Prospect / Brazil)

In previous posts, the panel reported on the official process: "These nominations have been officially submitted by their National Federations to the CPJ Recognition Commission. Each nomination endorses a year of exceptional sporting performance, technique, and commitment to the values of judo."