Three Brazilian Athletes Are Leading for the First Time the World Ranking
After Victor Penalber’s Coming Back to the Top and Joining Sarah Menezes and Mayra Aguiar, IJF’s Ranking is led by Brazil
An event that is unprecedented in the history of the Brazilian judo was revealed by the last week’s update of the World Ranking: by IJF’s calculations, three Brazilian athletes are leading for the first time their corresponding categories. Besides Sarah Menezes, 48kg and Mayra Aguiar, 78kg keeping positions, Victor Penalber got on the first place of his category, up-to-81 kg. Victor would have been leading the Ranking since early May, but after taking part in the World Masters, he ended up on the second place. Now, the Brazilian judoka came ahead of the Ranking thanks to his 36 points more than the Georgian Avtandil Tchrikishvli.
\"First, we have to emphasize the wonderful stage Brazil is experiencing. The country is stronger and stronger, therefore competitive; during the Olympic cycle, there will certainly be more Brazilian athletes coming to the Top. I am very happy to lead again my category, although I know I have to work a lot, mainly for the World Championships. It\'s really great to be at the Top, but this is just a detail in my training for the upcoming competitions, \"Victor said.
In the category up-to-48kg, Sarah Menezes has a comfortable position compared to the second best-athlete, the Belgian Charline Van Snick: 654 points. Mayra Aguiar has a minor advantage of 322 points over the Hungarian Abigel Joo. Maria Suelen Altheman got on the second position, very near the Cuban Idalys Ortiz who has 2180 points against the Brazilian’s 1926 points. Felipe Kitadai (60kg) is also placed among the top three-best judokas of his category, having 128 points less than the Georgian Amiran Papinashvili and 550 less than the leader, the Japanese Naohisa Takato.
The medal winners at Miami Grand Prix climbed some positions in the Ranking. Getting 180 points thanks to his silver medal, Eric Takabatake climbed from the 75th to the 34th position, scoring a total of 300 points; Nathália Brigida jumped from the 47th to the 26th with 340 points, and Hugo Pessanha climbed from the 79th to the 38th, after having scored 270 points. The bronze-awarded accumulated 120 points and consequently got nearer the top. Luiz Revite got from the 17th to the 12th position with 697 total points; Breno Alves, with 320 total points, got from the 51st to 31st place; Mauro Moura was the one who made the biggest jump, from the 284th to the 65th position, accumulating a total of 122 points; Rafael Buzacarini left the 61st place and headed to the 31st one, whereas Walter Santos jumped from the 7th to the 6th.
