Kayla Harrison is a female Judoka from the United States.
Kayla Harrison began training in Judo at the age of 6. She is the first Olympic Judo Champion, male or female, from the United States.
Kayla was awarded her 6th Degree Black Belt in Judo on August 31st, 2016. At this time, she was the youngest American to earn this rank.
After winning her second Olympic Gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Kayla transitioned from Judo to a professional MMA career. In October of 2016, it was announced that she had signed with WSOF to make her MMA debut.
Personal Life
At the age of 16, Kayla publicly spoke about experiencing years of sexual abuse from a Judo instructor. Kayla delivered a victim impact statement at his hearing, and hopes her profile as an athlete will empower other women. Kayla created the Fearless Foundation in response to child sexual abuse.
Achievements
Judo Titles
2016 - 2016 Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Judo -78kgGold
2016 - Judo Grand Prix | Budapest, -78kgGold
2016 - IJF World Judo Masters Championships | Guadalajara, -78kgGold
2016 - Pan American Judo Championships | Havana, -78kgGold
2016 - U.S. National Judo Championships | Dallas, -78kg Gold
2016 - Judo Grand Slam | Paris, -78kgSilver
2016 - Judo Grand Prix | Havana, -78kgBronze
2015 - IJF Prestige Ranking Judo Tournament | -78kgGold
2015 - Judo Grand Slam | Tokyo, -78kgGold
2015 - Judo Grand Prix | Jeju, -78kgSilver
2015 - Judo Grand Prix | Qingdao, -78kgBronze
2015 - Pan American Games | Toronto, Judo -78kgGold
2015 - Judo Grand Prix | Budapest, -78kgGold
2015 - IJF World Judo Masters Championships | Rabat, -78kgGold
2015 - Judo Grand Slam | Baku, -78kgBronze
2015 - Pan American Judo Championships | Edmonton, -78kgSilver
2015 - Judo Grand Prix | Tbilisi, -78kg Gold
2015 - Judo Grand Prix | Dusseldorf, -78kgGold
2014 - Judo Grand Slam | Tokyo, -78kgGold
2014 - Judo Grand Prix | Jeju, -78kgBronze
2014 - World Judo Championships | Chelyabinsk, -78kgBronze
2014 - Pan American Judo Open | Miami, -78kgGold
2014 - Judo Grand Slam | Tyumen, -78kgSilver
2014 - Pan American Judo Open | San Salvador, -78kgSilver
2014 - IJF Judo Grand Prix | Havana, -78kgGold
2013 - Pan American Judo Championships | San Jose, -70kgBronze
2013 - US National Judo Championships | Orlando, -78kgGold
2013 - Pan American Judo Open | Buenos Aires, -70kgGold
2013 - Pan American Judo Open | Montevideo, -70kgSilver
2012 - 2012 Olympic Games | London, Judo -78kgGold
2012 - Judo World Cup | Budapest, -78kg Gold
2012 - IJF Judo Grand Prix | Düsseldorf, -78kgGold
2012 - European Judo Cup | Prague, -78kgGold
2012 - IJF Judo Grand Slam | Rio de Janeiro, -78kgGold
2012 - IJF Judo Grand Slam | Paris, -78kgSilver
2012 - PJC Judo World Cup | Miami, -78kgGold
2011 - Pan American Judo Championships | Guadalajara, -78kgGold
2011 - IJF Judo Grand Prix | China, -78kgGold
2011 - IJF Judo Grand Slam | Tokyo, -78kgSilver
2011 - Judo World Championships | Paris, -78kgBronze
2011 - US National Judo Championships | Orlando, -78kgGold
2011 - IJF Judo Grand Slam | Rio de Janeiro, -78kgSilver
2011 - PJC Judo World Cup | Miami, -78kgGold
2011 - PJC Judo World Cup | Purto La Cruz, -78kgSilver
2011 - Pan American Games | Guadalajara, Judo -78kgGold
2010 - Senior Judo World Championships | Tokyo, -78kgGold
2010 - PJC Judo World Cup | Miami, -78kg Gold
2010 - IJF Judo Grand Prix | Abu Dhabi, -78kg Gold
2010 - IJF Judo World Cup | Sao Paulo, -78kg Gold
2010 - PJC Judo World Cup | Isla MargaritaGold
2010 - PJC Judo World Cup | San SalvadorGold
2010 - Judo World Cup | Birmingham, -78kgGold
2010 - U.S. Judo Open | Miami, -78kgGold
2010 - USA Judo Senior National Championships | Myrtle Beach, -78kgGold
2010 - IJF Judo World Cup | Tashkent, -78kgSilver
2010 - Senior Pan American Judo Championships | San Salvador, -78kgBronze
2010 - Judo Grand Prix | Dusseldorf -78kgBronze
2010 - Judo World Cup | Warsaw, -78kgBronze
2010 - IJF Judo Grand Prix | Rotterdam, -78kgBronze
2009 - US Judo Open | San José, -78kgGold
2009 - US National Judo Championships | San Diego, Open Division Gold
2009 - US National Judo Championships | San Diego, -78kgGold
2009 - USA Judo Senior National Championships | Paris, -78kgGold
2009 - USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships | -78kgGold
2009 - Junior Judo World Championships Silver
2009 - Judo World Cup | Brazil, -78kgBronze
2008 - Junior Judo World Championships | Bangkok, -78kgGold
2008 - USA Judo Senior National Championships Gold
2008 - U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo | -78kg Gold
2008 - Fall Classic National Judo Championships | Spokane, -78kgGold
2008 - Junior Judo World Team Trials Gold
2008 - U.S. Judo Open | Colorado Springs, Open DivisionGold
2008 - U.S. Judo Open | Colorado Springs, -78kgGold
2008 - USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships | -78kgGold
2008 - Korea Cup Judo Open | Jeju, -78kgSilver
2007 - Puerto Rico Judo Open | -70kgGold
2007 - Fall Classic National Judo Championships | Coral Springs, -63kgGold
2007 - Junior Belgian Ladies’ Judo Open | Arlon, -70kgGold
2007 - High School National Judo Championships | -70kgGold
2007 - U.S. Open Judo Championships | Duluth, -63kgGold
2007 - USA Judo Senior National Championships | -63kgSilver
2007 - Rendez-Vous Judo Canada | Montreal, -63kgBronze
2006 - USA Judo Senior National Championships | -70kgGold
2006 - High School National Judo Championships | -70kgGold
2006 - Pan American Juvenile Judo Championships Gold
2006 - Junior U.S. Judo Open | -70kgGold
2006 - U.S. Open Judo Championships | Miami, Open Division Gold
2006 - U.S. Open Judo Championships | Miami, -70kgSilver
2005 - U.S. Judo Open | Fort Lauderdale, -63kg Bronze
2005 - Junior U.S. Judo Open | Fort Lauderdale, U20, -63kgGold
2005 - British Junior Judo Open | London, -63kgBronze
2005 - U.S. National Judo Championships | Virginia Beach, -63kgBronze
2004 - British Junior Judo Open | London, -52kgBronze
2004 - Junior U.S. Judo Open | Fort Lauderdale, U20 -52kgBronze
2004 - U.S. National U20 Judo Championships | -52kgGold
2003 - Dallas Invitational Judo Open | -48kgGold
2003 - Junior U.S. Judo Open | Boca Raton, U20 -48kg Bronze
Awards
2015 - U.S. Judo Hall of Fame Inductee
2012 - OC Tanner Inspiration Award
2012 - Glamour Magazine | Women of the Year
2012 - Women’s Sports Foundation | Wilma Rudolph Courage Award
Boston Globe Magazine | Bostonian of the Year
Boston Sportswriter’s Association | Athlete of the Year
New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame Inductee
Middletown High School Hall of Fame Inductee
Kayla Harrison of the United States (in white) competes against Gemma Gibbons of Great Britain for the gold medal during the women’s 78-kg judo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London. Harrison won the gold and Gibbons won the silver. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
