City Employees Club of Los Angeles • Alive! DECEMBER 2014 35

Airports

Information and photos courtesy Jenelle Hamilton, Airports Wrestling, With Success 35 Airport Maintenance employee is part of the U.S. National Women’s sumo team.

irports employees never fail to amaze. supportive, and it’s a very close-knit family, world. The women’s competition was mainly AThere always seems to be something or both nationally and internationally.” United States contenders, with the exception someone to celebrate at LA airports, with the Over the last several years, Hamilton has of a middleweight (144-176 pounds) from New way Airports employees have volunteered to participated national and international compe- Zealand. Hamilton went home undefeated in help their communities, succeeded in personal titions as a lightweight contender (143 pounds the lightweight category and took the bronze in hobbies, or achieved academic successes and or fewer) in amateur sumo wrestling. In addi- open weight, losing only to the New Zealander, career advancements. One such employee tion to national events, Hamilton has repre- from that event. who has been breaking barriers is Van Nuys sented the United States in both SportAccord Sumo, a sport that is more than 1,500 Airport’s own Jenelle Hamilton. Hamilton, a Combat Games, once in Beijing, China (2010) years old, originated in Japan. Japan is the Sr. Clerk Typist at the Maintenance Services and in St. Petersburg, Russia (2013). This year only country where professional sumo can be Division, has been making the sport of sumo a alone she participated in the United States found. However, amateur sumo wrestling is Jenelle Hamilton, Airports, center, with fellow teammates personal hobby for the past five years. Sumo National Championships in Jackson, beginning to take ground in countries all over of the 2014 US National Women’s Team. “A past co-worker/friend of mine in the Wyo., taking gold in the lightweight and open the world. Athletes wearing a simple loincloth LAPD used to sumo wrestle,” Jenelle explains. weight categories. The open weight allows any called a mawashi come together in a ring with community for keeping her love of the sport “He knew of my Muay Thai kickboxing days participant of any weight to be paired against a diameter of approximately 15 feet. They alive. From the moment athletes approach the and was looking to bring more females into each other and fight through brackets to deter- begin with a ritual before charging at each ring to the last bow of respect, sumo demands sumo. He asked me to give it a try. My first mine the best overall contender of the event. other, similar to football, and fight with all of good sportsmanship, humility and respect from go of it was at Muscle Beach in Venice. I have In addition to this year’s US Nationals, their strength, energy and technique to take its athletes and sports authorities. Hamilton been hooked ever since. Hamilton has participated in various other their opponent to the ground or out of the ring. hopes to help broaden the United States per- “I like sumo because the sport, unlike box- competitions this year. She was the USA The rules are relatively simple, with more than spective of the sport and entice more athletes ing, is usually very fast and over within sec- lightweight representative in the Aug. 10 80 recognized winning techniques that are to transition to the sport, especially females, onds. It takes all of your strength, coordination Annual World Sumo Women’s Championships at the athlete’s disposal during the typically as the sumo world begins its quest to broaden and skill to out-master and win an opponent in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She also participated in seconds-long bout. worldwide interest and support for the sport. without any real time to think. This makes you the 2014 US Sumo Open, which commenced Throughout the years Hamilton has been “Knowing you trained well and gave every- rely solely on your training and affords you in Long Beach in September and is recurrently featured in articles by the Los Angeles Daily thing you had in the ring is its own reward,” little, if any, opportunity for mistake or recov- airing on NBC Universal Sports Network. The News, OC Register and the New York Times, Jenelle says. “But that’s not to say that placing ery. The people within the sport are all very event brought contenders from all over the including a New York Times documentary and receiving a medal isn’t great, too. The high- video available online at http:// est compliment you can give your opponent is youtube/0elJ4V35KAw. The to offer them your best and strongest fight. biggest obstacle for sumo ath- “One must have physical strength, stamina, letes in the United States is balance and technique to win in sumo. Being funding their travels to com- merely physically strong will not cause you to petition, both nationally and win. But none of those talents is as important abroad. As international sumo as being mentally prepared and headstrong friend of Jenelle’s once said, as you face your opponent. If you have fear, “It’s a very expensive hobby.” no strength in any of those physical factors It’s the elusiveness of the will matter. Once you bow and enter the ring, sport that overrides the cost you have given your opponent the blessing to for Hamilton. Jenelle Hamilton break you, to damage you, and vice versa. If amuses in the sport where you have fear, you have already lost.” female participation is low but Alive! thanks Ralph Morones, Airports, Club growing and credits the sumo Member, for contributing this story. Jenelle Hamilton, Airports, is in the first row center/fifth from left at the 2014 US Sumo Open.

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