Golden Score chess match: Klimkait edges Silva for -63 kg crown

The Pan American Championships are a major continental stop, even if the overall depth is often seen as lighter than at the European Championships. But in women’s -63 kg, that usual storyline didn’t really apply. With five top-level names packed into the draw, this division felt like the tournament’s pressure point.

The pools were stacked from the start. Rafaela Silva (BRA) led Pool A, while Pool B brought together Prisca Awiti Alcaraz (MEX) and Maylin Del Toro Carvajal (CUB) in a tight battle that ultimately swung on penalties. Pool C featured Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (CAN), and Pool D was headed by Jessica Klimkait (CAN).

Silva, Beauchemin-Pinard and Klimkait all did what favorites are supposed to do, taking first place in their pools and moving into the semifinals. Del Toro Carvajal joined them after edging her way through Pool B. In the semis, Silva got past Del Toro Carvajal, and Klimkait won the all-Canada clash against Beauchemin-Pinard to set up a final that everyone wanted.

One small Shido swing changed the entire final.

Regulation time produced no score, but Silva carried a 2–1 edge in penalties going into Golden Score. That’s where Klimkait leaned into a tactical plan, repeatedly initiating with her preferred drop attacks and forcing Silva into constant defensive reactions. The Shido count leveled at 2–2, and Klimkait kept the tempo high until Silva was handed a third Shido, deciding the title.

Given how familiar they are—this was their 12th meeting—the frustration on Silva’s side stood out. And for Klimkait, it was a landmark moment: her first win over Silva at -63 kg, delivered when it mattered most.

Source: JudoInside