BJC Summons Fifteen Athletes for the Grand Prix of Samsun, Turkey
On the list there are both experienced athletes such as Sarah Menezes, Rafael Silva, Tiago Camilo, Mayra Aguiar and new comers as Gabriel Pinheiro and Igor Pereira.
Fifteen experienced athletes and new comers will represent Brazil in the Grand Prix of Samsun, Turkey, from March 27th to 29th. Besides experienced names such as Rafael Silva, Mayra Aguiar and Tiago Camilo, who will take part in their first international disputes the year, the team will also have beginners as Gabriel Pinheiro and Igor Pereira, newly arrived in the senior team after the Olympic Selective held in December 2014.
"I'm anxious, but not nervous. I feel like fighting," said Igor. "I really want to do well in my very first competition because my others weight mates have already competed and I need a good result to get there (the Olympic position)."
Despite his experience of several international competitions, Rafael Silva confesses that he is still anxious before each dispute. "Especially now when I will compete for the first time this year. But I calm down before stepping on tatamis. “he says. "The competition is a thermometer of your training. And this year is unusual. One year before the Olympics, a lot of people come competing and they are very well prepared. The expectations are very high."
By betting on this mix between young and experienced athletes, the team goes in search of medals and also improve its performance of 2014, when Brazil won two bronze medals, one by Charles Chibana (66kg) and the other by Maria Suelen Altheman (+100). The team boards to Turkey on 23rd March and comes back on 31st.
Between 7th and 12th April, the team will gather again in Lauro de Freitas / BA in order to prepare for the Pan-American Championship Edmonton, Canada, held in late April. The summoned athletes for the Grand Prix of Samsun are the following: Sarah Menezes (48kg), Nathália Brígida (48kg), Veronice Chagas (63kg), Maria Portela (70kg), Mayra Aguiar (78kg), Felipe Kitadai (60kg), Charles Chibana (66kg), Gabriel Pinheiro (66kg), Igor Pereira (73kg), Victor Penalber (81kg), Tiago Camilo (90kg), Gustavo Assis (90kg), Gabriel Souza (100kg), David Moura (+ 100kg) and Rafael Silva ( + 100kg).
Technical Committee: Luiz Shinohara, Rosicleia Campos, Fulvio Miyata, Mario Tsutsui, Hans Peter Strubreiter and Priscilla Marques.
