Joseph MARCHAL

Joe Marchal started out wrestling as a youth but quickly turned to judo. He was US collegiate champion in 1985 and won a silver medal that year at the Summer Universiade. Marchal was second at the US Nationals in both 1985 and 1986 and then placed second at the 1987 Pacific Rim Championships. He won gold medals at the 1986 and 1987 US Olympic Festivals. Marchal was a 7th degree black belt. Marchal graduated from university in Japan and first spent a few years in finance trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, only the second American to do so. He later went into training and coaching judo, serving as a US national team coach, coaching international training camps for kids, and teaching children’s judo at the International Sports Center on Guam. After settling on Guam, Marchal became a professional poker player, playing for several years in the World Series of Poker.