Brazil Ends Its Participation in the Open from Buenos Aires with 12 Medals and Takes the Lead of the Medals Chart
Mariana Silva (63kg), Amanda Oliveira (70kg), Rochelle Nunes (+ 78kg), Eduardo Katsuhiro Barbosa (73kg) and Luciano Correa (100kg) are gold awarded.
Brazil was the big winner of the Pan American Open Buenos Aires from last weekend. In an event that gathered 34 countries from five continents, the country got in the first place in the medals chart with five gold, three silver and four bronze medals. Mariana Silva (63kg), Amanda Oliveira (70kg), Rochelle Nunes (+ 78kg), Eduardo Katsuhiro Barbosa (73kg) and Luciano Correa (100kg) got in the first. The silver went to Eleudis Valentim (52kg), Maria Portela (70kg) and Rafael Macedo (81kg)whereas the bronze to Ketleyn Quadros (63kg), Barbara Timo (70kg), Diego Santos (60kg) and Luiz Revite (66kg)
"I made a good competition, but I need to improve some details to keep my good results. My goal is defeating my rivals whom I might find in the World Championships, my focus, "said Mariana Silva, who reached the top of the podium for the second time right after the gold in the Open Montevideo. In the same category, Ketleyn Quadros won the bronze, repeating the performance of Uruguay and winning her second medal in the new category.
Besides Mariana, Eduardo Barbosa and Luciano Correa also took the first place in both competitions. The lightweight athlete won four fights - three of them by ippon - until the decision against the Canadian Arthur Margelidon, defeated for having one more penalty than the Brazilian. His performance was similar to that of Luciano Correa’s, who had four fights until reaching the gold, winning three by ippon, including the decision against Jason Koster of New Zealand.
"I liked the competition because I could do a few different things I was training. On the other hand, it was great for me to see what I need to improve, "said the 2007 world champion, Luciano Correa.
The competition was special for Rochelle Nunes as well. The heavyweight athlete came to her third gold in the Argentinian competition and she defeated for the first time Melissa Mojica. The athlete of Puerto Rico had defeated Rochelle in the decision of the Open of Montevideo of this year, in the Pan-American Open in Buenos Aires in 2013 and the World Cup in Belo Horizonte, 2009 and 2010.
"When I was defeated by her in Uruguay I said it would be the last time. I felt very well in the competition and was able to put into practice what I had trained during the week, " Rochelle Nunes said. "It's always good to compete on the continent, especially so close to the Pan-American Championship. Certainly, it was a good preparation. "
The next challenge for the Brazilian team is the Grand Prix of Samsun in Turkey held next weekend. There were 15 athletes summoned to the competition: 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). Last year, Brazil won two bronze medals in competition with Charles Chibana and Maria Suelen Altheman.
