When Marti Malloy began competing in judo when she was six years old, she had no idea it would lead to the Olympic Games.
The 2004 graduate of Oak Harbor High School will represent the United States this summer in London and is believed to be the first local graduate to qualify for the Olympics.
Malloy announced her presence as an elite competitor when she finished ninth in the world championships in 2007.
Malloy said, “It’s been a long road. The Olympic qualification started two years (ago)…so the last two years have been a whirlwind of competing all over the world trying to secure points.”
She added, “It was somewhat nerve wracking because every tournament was important…It wasn’t until I took fifth at the World Championships in August 2011 and then a bronze at the Paris Grand Slam in February 2012 that I knew for sure that I was going to make the Olympic team.”
From that point her focus turned to training for London; however, an injury a week after the Paris Grand Slam forced her to take some time off.
“It has been so slow and tedious,” she said, “but I am almost back to 100 percent and feeling on track to peak in London.”
She is currently ranked 12th in the world in the 57 kilogram class.
