Brazil Defeats Spain and Hungary in the International Contest Organized in Queimados (RJ)
The women defeated the Spanish judokas by five to zero whereas the men won by four to one
The second day of the International Contest showed once again the high level of the Brazilian judo. The event, which is a preparing test for the World Championship Rio de Janeiro 2013, was set in two days. This Saturday, 3/8, the Brazilian female team faced Spain and won all the five fights. The male team defeated Hungary by four to one, the same score by which they won over Cuba on Thursday.
\"The competition helped us to analyze some athletes’ behavior in the team competition which has a larger emotional charge than the individual ones. Even with mixed teams composed of more experienced athletes and very young ones, I think that we did a good job, \"said Ney Wilson, the Seniors Performance Director.
The first athletes who entered the mat were the girls and, as the carioca funk says, the show of the powerful started. They got a score of five to zero performing four ippons. The first was Maria Suelen Altheman’s (+70 kg), the current leader of the world ranking in the heavyweight category, against Sara Lozano. The second fight carried Maria Portela’s victory (70kg) on Maria Sanz by yuko. In her turn, Mariana Silva (63kg) defeated Isabel Palao whereas Rafaela Silva (57kg) won over Carolina Ortega and, in the end, Eleudis Valentim (52kg) had more luck than Irene Vidal; all the victories had the maximum score.
\"This contest was very important for feeling how it was like the audience’s thrilling. I\'ve imagined myself in the World Championship! You can’t be deaf to the fans shouting your name and you can’t help wanting to win in any possible way, defeating the opponent even when you are at disadvantage. It also helped us to think of the changes that we have to make for a good performance in the World Championship, \"said Maria Portela.
Among the men, the score against the Hungarians was similar to the one against the Cubans: four to one. The only change within the male Team that competed last Thursday was Eduardo Santos’s replacement by Eduardo Bettoni. The first fight was between Gabriel Pinheiro (66kg) and Gabor Hagyo; the latter was defeated by yuko. Soon after it, Marcelo Contini (73kg) defeated Adam Stadler by ippon. Mauro Moura (81kg) was immobilized by Milan Köller. Eduardo Bettoni won over Gabor Ver for having fewer penalties. Daniel Hernandes’s last fight sealed the Brazilian victory with an ippon against Robert Kerstner.
\"I was very well received by the whole group. I was a little nervous, wishing to have a good result in this contest. The mates encouraged me and that’s why I could do a good job. I am very happy with the result and the knowledge I’ve got so far, \"said Gabriel Pinheiro, the Team’s youngest member, only 20 years old.
\"It\'s good to see that despite the group being composed of experienced athletes and very young ones, they were very united and that made them become homogeneous. They were encouraging each other a lot. It was really cool! Today I managed to fight a little better and win over two important countries from the judo world; the good scores show us that we are well prepared, \"said Daniel Hernandes.
The event was attended by the Director of the Promoting Sports Department of the Ministry of Sports, Paulo Vieira, the President of the Judo Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Francisco Grosso, the Mayor, Max Lemos, and the municipal Sports Secretary, Luiz Carlos.
\"Organizing such an important project in a developing area of the State of Rio de Janeiro is extremely important. You can see on these children’s face the joy of being involved in this project,\" Paulo said.
\"When BJC decided to organize an event in Baixada, they wanted to show that the whole Rio was prepared to host major events,\" Francisco Grosso said.
This was the last test-event for the World Championships, which will be held from August the 26th to September the 1st, in a place different than Maracanãzinho. The BJC’s Committee for the World Rio 2013 will further organize the U23 Brazilian Championship; this event is the final test which will help us improve the venue where it will be held the most important tournament of the year.
