Kayla Mishima speaks with a hushed voice, her shyness belying the image one conjures of her slamming opponents to the ground as a champion judoka.

"I feel like just throwing them with all my might and muscle to just get it over with," said Mishima, 11. "Because I'm so nervous. I'm in front of a big crowd and I have to do it and everyone is counting on me."

Kayla and her 12-year-old cousin, David Terao, both members of the Shobukan Judo Club, captured the "Triple Crown" of judo, by winning titles at the U.S. Judo Association Junior National Championships in Toledo, Ohio, July 1 and 2; the U.S. Judo Federation Junior National Championships in Irvine, Calif., July 9 and 10; and the U.S. Judo, Inc. Junior Olympics, in Atlanta, July 23 and 24.

"It is a really, really big honor to be a triple crown champion," Shobukan Judo Club head trainer/instructor Jon Ko'omoa said. "There are very few who accomplish it every year."

The USJA included about 800 competitors, the USJF about 1,200, and the Junior Olympics had 700, and according to Ko'omoa, "maybe 20 will accomplish getting gold in all three tournaments."

He said the talent level of Hawai'i judoka — judo competitor — is "very, very high, compared to the rest of the nation," and the only limits they have is the geographical distance and the cost it takes to fly to the Mainland for tournaments.

"All students strive for it, but very few from Hawai'i actually participate in all three tournaments," said Ko'omoa, who said most manage to attend only one.

Judo has helped Kayla come out of her shell, through competitions and learning discipline, and the friendships she has developed with her teammates.

"She's very soft-spoken, but her body language and attitude has changed since she began in judo," Ko'omoa said. "Her self-confidence, self-image and self-esteem is so high right now."

Kayla and David, both purple belts, competed in the Intermediate 2 Division, for judoka born in 1993 or 1994. Kayla competed in the 48 kg (105 pounds) division, and David in the 31 kg (68 pounds) division.

David, who said his hardest competition came from Hawai'i judoka Sean Tachibana, said his confidence was high, because he was watching his opponents during their matches.

"I felt like I was going to win, because I had some of the same opponents," said David, a seventh grader at Our Redeemer Lutheran School. "We didn't really have anyone that hard in my division."

The USJF Junior National title was the second straight for David. He has also finished second twice and third once.

Ko'omoa said David was successful because, "he is so diligent when it comes to his training. His confidence comes from the belief that he works harder than everyone else — and he does. He studies videos of himself and his opponents.

"Because he is smaller in stature, he always felt he had to work harder than everyone else."

Judo, where the idea is to accumulate points by throwing an opponent to the ground, pinning them, or doing submissions, armlocks or choking, is a very technical, methodical sport.

Judoka compete against opponents to establish a strong grip, or hold, on an opponent's gi (uniform). Because of that, Ko'omoa said David had a harder time in the past because he was lighter than his opponents. This year, he has finally caught up to them.

"This is the first year he is actually close to his weight class, in the past he had always been so light, eight or nine pounds lighter than his weight class," Ko'omoa said.

Ko'omoa said Kayla trains as hard as David, "but in her own way."

"She keeps things simple for herself. She's very consistent, she's probably the most consistent judoka, even in practice. She's very grounded, and she keeps things in perspective.

"What helps Kayla is that she has an older sister (double crown champion Risha, 14) who looks after her and makes sure she is on track."

Kayla, a sixth grader at Hawai'i Baptist, has competed at the USJF Junior Nationals the past four years, winning in 2003, 2004 and this year and taking second in 2002. This year, she also won an award for having the best technique.

"I was just saying I would try my best, and if I got it, it would be good," Kayla said. "But the main thing was to try my best."

YOUTH JUDO