Fourteen-year-old judoka Sofía Navarro García is intensifying her training at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento in Tijuana as she prepares for the upcoming Campeonato Nacional de Judo Daniel F. Hernández 2026, scheduled for October 15–18 in Querétaro, according to reports from El Vigía.
Training at the Tijuana High-Performance Center
Working inside the combat room at the CAR Tijuana, Navarro focuses on refining her technical, physical, and tactical capabilities under the guidance of professor Fernando Castillo. The young athlete from Tijuana competes primarily in the women’s -70 kilogram division, building on a competitive record established over the past two seasons in high-demand national brackets. El Vigía reported that Navarro balances her rigorous high-performance training schedule with her academic commitments at Telesecundaria 101 CAR-INDEBC.
Transition From Basketball to the Tatami
Navarro’s entry into judo began through a family connection to sports, initially following her two older brothers into basketball. Her path shifted after she accepted an invitation to a talent-detection camp held at CAR Tijuana. Originally planning to test the sport for just one month, she committed to judo full-time after that initial trial period, leaving the basketball court behind entirely.
Navarro Wins Medals at National Tournaments
Professor Castillo has overseen Navarro’s progression through various national stages since her early days in the sport. Her first national medal was a bronze won in Campeche, an achievement earned against older and more experienced competitors. She followed that performance with medals at the National Olympiad, securing podium finishes in Tlaxcala in 2025 and Mérida, Yucatán, in 2026. In addition to the National Olympiad, Navarro has competed in the Manuel Larrañaga tournament—a recent national ranking qualifier—as well as the Daniel Hernández and Tomoyoshi Yamaguchi tournaments, consistently placing among the top three competitors nationwide.
Overcoming Injuries on the Road to Querétaro
Navarro’s development has included physical hurdles, notably a past elbow injury that she successfully rehabilitated. Rather than slowing her momentum, the recovery process reinforced her resilience as she returned to competition. With the Daniel F. Hernández 2026 tournament approaching in Querétaro, Navarro continues her preparations to represent Baja California in October.
Related reading
