Jimmy Pedro

Inducted 2010

Jimmy was born October 30, 1970 in Danvers, Massachusetts and coaches and teaches in nearby Wakefield.

Jimmy is one of the most successful American judo competitors, having won two bronze medals in the Olympics. He was the World Champion at 73 kg in 1999. He won bronze medals in the 1991 and 1995 World Championships. Pedro represented the United States in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Games, winning bronze in 1996 and 2004. The United States has not traditionally been strong in judo, and a bronze medal in Olympic judo is an enormous accomplishment for an American athlete.

Jimmy explains his approach to Judo this way. “My approach is that it’s not about winning, it’s about trying and doing your best, and I tell my kids that all the time.”

source: USJF