Patrick Mitsugi Burris (born December 28, 1950) is a retired competitive

judoka is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...

who represented the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

at the

1972 Summer Olympic Games The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

and the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. He won the bronze medal at the

1975 Pan American Games The 1975 Pan American Games, officially known as the VII Pan American Games () and commonly known as Mexico 1975 (), were held in Mexico City, Mexico, from October 12 to October 26, 1975, exactly twenty years after the second Pan American Games ...

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

in the men's lightweight division at 70 kg. Burris is a five time US national senior AAU champion, including an unprecedented four straight championships. He was named 1976 US national Grand Champion (best in all weight classes) – the lightest Grand Champion ever. Burris was a standout in both wrestling and judo as a youth at Rancho Alamitos High School in

Garden Grove, California Garden Grove is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 171,949 at the 2020 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city in an east–west direction. The west ...

, where he won a bronze medal in the Southern California Interscholastic Federation Wrestling finals. He demonstrated his potential in judo when he won his first national championship as a sophomore. He went on to attend Santa Ana Junior College where, in the 1969–1970 wrestling season, he compiled a 36–1 record before winning the California State Junior College championship at 150 lbs. In judo, he won the 1968 National Junior judo championship at 150 lbs and the Southern Pacific AAU championship at 139 lbs and 150 lbs in 1968 and 1969. He placed third in the US Men's National Tournament in 1969. Burris transferred to the

University of Northern Colorado The University of Northern Colorado (UNCO or UNC) is a public university in Greeley, Colorado, United States. It was founded in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado and has a long history in teacher education. The institution has offi ...

(UNC) in Greeley where he became a two-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champion wrestling for the Bears at 150 lbs in 1971 and 1972. He graduated from UNC with a bachelor's degree in education in 1972. In April 1972, less than two months after participating in the NCAA College Division wrestling tournament in

Oswego, New York Oswego () is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 16,921 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Oswego is situated at the mouth of the Oswego River (New York), Osw ...

, Burris won the US National Senior Men's Judo championship in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

by throwing a previous US national champion, Paul Maruyama, something that had never been done. This earned him the right to represent the United States Olympic judo team that year. Shortly after the 1976 Summer Olympics, Burris returned to northern Colorado and began his coaching career at Fort Lupton High School when he was named Head Wrestling Coach in late August. After moving to Oklahoma in 1985, he coached Ron Tripp to a 1994 world heavyweight championship in

sambo Sambo may refer to: Places * Sambo, Angola, a commune in Tchicala Tcholohanga, Huambo Province, Angola * Sambo Creek, a village in Honduras People * Ferdy Sambo (born 1973), former Indonesian police general * Khem Sambo (1961–2011), Cambodi ...

. He also coached the men's 1996 judo team in the

1996 Summer Olympic Games The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

where

Jimmy Pedro James A. Pedro (born October 30, 1970) is an American retired World Champion and Olympic judoka, as well as a current judo coach. Pedro currently holds a 7th degree black belt in judo. He is the coach of Kayla Harrison, the first and current ...

won a bronze medal at 71 kg. Multiple Olympians and United States National Champions have been successful under Sensei Pat's tutelage. Burris currently owns a Dojo in

Moore, Oklahoma Moore is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The population was 62,793 at the 2020 census, making Moore the seventh-largest city in the state of Oklahoma. Located between Okl ...

named USA Stars which also has a branch in

Virginia Beach Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the List of cities in Virginia, most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeaster ...

. He was promoted to the judo rank of kudan (9th degree black belt) in November 2021 by USA Judo.

References

External links

SportsReference.com Olympic Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burris, Patrick 1950 births Living people American male judoka Judoka at the 1972 Summer Olympics Judoka at the 1976 Summer Olympics Olympic judoka for the United States Sportspeople from Hawaii Judoka at the 1975 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1975 Pan American Games Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in judo 20th-century American sportsmen