Brazil Arrives in Mongolia and Holds the First Training Session before the GP of Ulaanbaatar

Shortly before the World Judo Championships, which will be held from August 25^th to 31^st in Russia, some athletes are still searching for better positions within the world rankings and perhaps get into the team who will represent Brazil. In the coming days, from July 4^th to July 6^th, Eric Takabatake (60kg), Bruno Mendonça (73kg), Rafael Buzacarini (100kg), David Moura (+100 kg), Mariana Silva (63kg), Maria Portela (70kg), Nadia Merli (70kg) and Claudirene Cezar (+78 kg) will step on the tatami in order to get the title of the Grand Prix of Ulaanbaatar. Brazilian judokas arrived yesterday in Mongolia. Today, under the leadership of the coach Mario Tsutsui and the massage therapist Hans Peter Strubreiter, they conducted the first training in this country.

"Our first workout in Mongolia," shared Nadia Merli (70kg), 21^st placed in the world rankings, posting a photo of her delegation mates on her social page.

Mongolia has made significant progress in the high performance field. For instance, the leader of the world rankings in the extra-light category (48kg) is the Mongolian Urantsetseg Munkhbat, who overtook the Olympic champion Sarah Menezes. Nevertheless, the categories in which there will be Brazilian representatives this weekend, the country is not considered so traditional.

In the half middleweight category (63kg) in which Mariana Silva fights, the Mongol Mungunchimeg Baldorj is better placed, occupying the 16^th position. In the middleweight (70kg),  Maria Portela’s and Nadia Merli’s category, Naranjargal Tsend Ayush is on the 25^th. In (+78 kg) in which Claudirene Cezar fights, Javzmaa Odkhuu is 19^th.

In the male, the Mongols Boldbaatar Ganbat and Amartuvshin Dashdavaa are 4^th and 5^th placed, respectively, in the extra- lightweight category (60kg) in which Eric Takabatake is as well. In Bruno Mendonça’s lightweight category (73kg), there are two athletes better places than him, namely Nyam-Ochir Sainjargal and Tsagaanbaatar Khashbaatar, who are 8^th  and 10^th. In Rafael Buzacarini’s half heavyweight category (100kg), Tuvshinbayar Naidan is 16^th positioned. And finally, David Moura’s weight category, that is the heavyweight (+100 kg) one, the Mongolian representative, Duurenbayar Ulziibayar, is better placed, holding the 31^th  position.

Although he is in a category that is not highly traditional in Mongolia, David Moura (+100 kg) trained a lot for this Asian competition. The current world number seven was helped by a special team in his training in Cuiabá. Among its names was Isaac Conserva from Paraíba, the currently senior Brazilian champion who trains in Sao Paulo.

"My preparation was possible only because of this team. Many thanks to my friends and brothers! And a special thanks to my friend Isaac Conserva who came from São Paulo just to help me, "David said on his official Facebook page.

Maria Portela (70kg), who until now has been holding the 26^th place in the world ranking, hopes that this championship can help her add valuable score to her qualification, before the World Championship. "I hope to represent Brazil in the best possible way and apply everything that I have been learning," the athlete said.

Friday is the day when the extra-lightweight, half-lightweight and lightweight female athletes as well as the extra-lightweight, half-lightweight male judokas compete. On Saturday it's the turn of the women’s half middleweight and middleweight together with the men's lightweight and half middleweight. The competition ends on Sunday with the half heavyweight and heavyweight female and male judokas. The fights from the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Complex begin at 10 am and the final block at 5 pm, both local time. This will be the penultimate raking worth competition before the IJF World Judo Championship organized in August in Chelyabinsk.