Residents are invited to witness history at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center this weekend as international athletes compete in an Olympic judo qualifier at the Panamerican Open Florida 2026.
Alachua County will host an official qualifying event for the 2028 Olympic Games on Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Sports and Events Center (4870 Celebration Pointe, Gainesville). The event will feature more than 200 athletes from 39 countries and four continents, including Olympians and Pan American champions.
Preliminary matches begin at 9 a.m., with final matchups scheduled for 4 p.m. on both days. Admission is $20 per person. Fans can also stream the event live on the Pan American Judo Confederation’s YouTube page.
Results for each match will earn athletes world ranking points, which determines who qualifies for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the 2027 Pan American Games. The Olympic qualification period opened in June 2026 and runs until June 2028.
This event is organized by USA Judo in partnership with Alachua County and the Gainesville Sports Commission, under the sanction of the International Judo Federation and the Panamerican Judo Confederation.
Judo, an Olympic sport since 1964, is a martial art in which athletes score by throwing their opponent to the mat or holding them down. Matches last four minutes, but a single clean throw, called an ippon, wins instantly, which makes every exchange on the mat a potential turning point. Over two days, athletes will compete in 14 weight categories, seven for women and seven for men, with medals awarded in each.
The delegations from Cuba and Venezuela have received visas from the U.S. Department of State to travel to Alachua County and compete this weekend. Cuba, one of the most successful judo nations in Olympic history, will be represented by six athletes, while Venezuela brings a full team of 12 athletes, six men and six women.
Competing on home soil, Team USA will also look to make the most of the opportunity in front of a local crowd.
“Alachua County encourages people from throughout the region to come fill the stands and feel the energy of this international competition,” said Sports and Events Center Manager Stephen Rodriguez.
Event details
Field: 202 competitors, 122 men; 80 women
Sat., Oct. 31
Women: −63 kg, −70 kg, −78 kg, +78 kg
Men: −60 kg, −66 kg, −73 kg
Sun., Nov. 1
Women: −48 kg, −52 kg, −57 kg
Men: −81 kg, −90 kg, −100 kg, +100 kg
For more information, contact Stephen Rodriguez at 352-264-6547 or srodriguez@alachuacounty.gov.
