Brazil Is the Pan-American Champion by Male Teams
The team repeat their performance from 2013 defeating the Cubans in the decision. Women\'s team get the silver.
The last day of the Pan American Championships Guayaquil in 2014 will be remembered once again by the rivalry between Brazil and Cuba in terms of judo. The two countries having a deep experience in this sport participated in the finals with both the men’s and the women’s teams. The Brazilian men won by 4 to 1 whereas the Cuban women by 3 to2. It is worth remembering that in the individual tournament, the Brazilians won seven golds, four silvers and five bronzes and finished ahead of Cubans. Before the fights by teams, there was a Kata competition that brought Brazil another silver medal.
The women\'s team was the first to get on the mat to face Guatemala in the last sixteen. There was a comfortable victory of five to zero. In the quarter-finals, a new victory of five to zero, this time over Ecuador. There were nine ippons and a victory by w.o. in ten rounds. The Mexicans faced in the semifinal were overcome by the Brazilians by four to one large. In the decision against the Cubans, the fights were very tough. The first was between Erika Miranda and Yanet Bermoy; the result was defined by punishment. After this, the most exciting fight of the day: Ketleyn Quadros defeated Aliuska Ojeda Martinez by a penalty in the last 14 seconds of the fight – the Cuban got a yuko. But in the last second, the Brazilian projected Aliuska by yuko and scored Brazil’s first point.
“When I saw that I was losing, I just thought the team needed my score and I could not lose that way. I had no idea of the time left! I continued fighting and here is the result,\" Ketleyn said.
Rafaela Silva had to fight in the middle half-heavyweight category because Mariana Barros, the only convoked Brazilian from the category, injured her elbow in the individual fight. And she played well her role applying two ippons in the first rounds. However, against the Cuban Maricet Espinoza she eventually suffered a wazari. Maria Portela needed to win to keep Brazil fighting for the gold, and in a very tough fight, she got a wazari on Olga Ramirez and then she immobilized her to tie the confrontation.
\"I know that my weight category is usually the one which decides or ties the fight. With the Cuban, she fell from the first feint and I felt she was scared. But she led her fight seriously and when I saw that it was me who was losing this time, I had to react and a new force appeared to come from inside, \" Portela said.
The decision in the fight was between Rochele Nunes and world and the world and Olympic champion Ydalis Ortiz. In 2013, Rochelle managed two victories over the Cuban: in the Pan from San Jose and in the Universiade from Kazan. But this time Ydalis used all her experience to make the Brazilian be penalized four times and lose the fight.
“I think we made a mistake in the first fight, I counted on this point because it is important to have a well start. But we target the Olympics and the mistakes we committed here are part of our learning in order to succeed in the near future, “Rosicleia Campos said.
In the male, Brazil faced the Dominican Republic in the quarter-finals. First, Brazil won by five to zero with three ippons, then its opponent was disqualified and the last opponent was absent. In the semifinal against Ecuador, Brazilians managed to have even a better performance: five victories, all by ippon. The victory against Cuba was by 4 to1. However, the result does not show clearly the extent of the confrontation.
“Cuba has evolved a lot in the male judo and the new athletes are very well prepared. I think our teamwork made the difference. We are working with a very cohesive group, where athletes are supporting each other, aiming to improve in 2016, \"Luiz Shinohara said.
Brazil’s first point was scored by Charles Chibana who defeated Gilberto Solar by wazari. Alex Pombo immobilized Magdiel Cala by ippon. The most exciting fight was the third one which would decide if the Cubans would continue in the contention for gold. And in a tough fight, Victor Penalber lost to Ivan Morales by a wazari in less than two minutes to the end of the fight. But the judoka from Rio was not discouraged and managed to turn the score defeating the Cuban twice: first by yuko and the second by wazari.
“It was a very important fight for me. As I am competing again at a high level, it was very good that I was able to overcome a tough opponent. It shows some of the judo strength to our biggest rivals on the continent, \"Victor said.
The fight between Tiago Camilo and Andy Granda finished tied for 3 penalties each, but in the golden score, the Brazilian was punished again in a not clear refereeing decision. Finally, Rafael Silva barely entered the mat and threw Joseph Armenteros by ippon. The fight lasted only eight seconds.
\"The Cubans decided to test the middle heavyweight but it did not work. It was good because if he was thinking of moving up, I think he changed his mind after that, “Rafael said.
The National Team’s next is a training camp in Japan from May 7th to 20th. The convoked athletes are the following : Sarah Menezes , Gabriela Chibana , Erika Miranda , Rafaela Silva Ketleyn Quadros, Mariana Barros, Mariana Silva, Maria Portela, Nadia Merli, Samantha Soares, Maria Suelen Altheman, Rochele Nunes, Felipe Kitadai, Diego Santos, Charles Chibana, Luiz Revite, Alex Pombo, Marcelo Contini, Victor Penalber, Tiago Camilo, Luciano Correa, Rafael Buzacarini, David Silva and Rafael Moura. The technical commission will be composed of Ney Wilson, Head of Delegation; the coaches Luiz Shinohara, Rosicleia Campos, Fulvio Miyata and Mário Tsutsui; by the fitness coach Wagner Zaccani; by the physiotherapist Priscila Marques; and my the massage therapist Hans Peter Strubreiter.
