COLLEGE STATION, Texas — In 2022, 15ABC caught up with the Texas A&M Judo team as they won their first national title in their 60-year history. Now, Isabella Garriga, junior, and Steven Salazar, freshman, are about to represent Aggieland and the U.S.A. in Chengdu, China.
Salazar has competed across the world before getting to Texas A&M. The freshman said he is prepared for one of the biggest competitions of his lifetime.
“I have dedicated many years of training and competing to Judo and I realized this is a goal that was obtainable for me,” Salazar said.
While Coach Bob Perez leads the Aggies, his athletes are the ones putting in the hard work.
“A lot of them are preparing themselves, Perez said.
"I’m just there as a guide, as a support role, but I’m proud to be there. To have two judokas from A&M — I think that’s great."
The road to the World University Games in China wasn’t cheap, and the funds mostly came out of the student's pockets.
“The money is not there. A&M does provide some funding for the athletes, but it doesn’t cover enough," Perez said.
Salazar says no matter the cost, after college he strives to take his dreams to the pro level.
“As soon as I would graduate, I would have about a year to solely prepare for the Olympics," Salazar said.
"I’m just aiming for that goal — it’s been a dream of mine to compete and represent the United States in the Olympics for a while.”
Click here to contribute to the Texas A&M Judo team's GoFundMe page: Fundraiser by NCJA Judo : Help Joey & Bella attend the 2023 WUG in China (gofundme.com)