Brazil Scores Five Bronze Medals on the First Day of the European Junior Cup in Berlin

Brazil had a good start at the European Junior Cup in Berlin. This Saturday, the first day of competition, the country climbed the podium five times. There were five bronze medals won by Larissa Farias (44kg/RJ), Tawany Silva (48kg/SP), Jessica Pereira (52kg/RJ), Vitor Hugo Carvalho (60kg/SP) and Gabriel Pinheiro (66kg/PE).

Larissa Farias (44kg) made three matches to qualify. The first one, against the German Miriam Schneider, was easily won: a yuko, a wazari and, to make it sure, an ippon (the perfect stroke) and so the fight ended. In the semifinal the judoka was overcame by the Russian Sabina Giliazova. In the repechage, Larissa Farias defeated the Turkish Nesrin Kartal Cetin and thus she got the third place.

"Let's start eating the edges. The right time will come, believe me! Then we will be the salt of the earth and the light of the world! Thank you, Lord, " the athlete wrote  on her Facebook page.

Tawany Silva (48kg) fought four times. In the qualifiers, she overcame the Georgian Mari Makharashvili and the Turkish Gulkader Senturk, both by ippon, but the Brazilian was defeated in her turn in the semifinals by the Moldavian Cristina Budescu. But in the repechage the young judoka recovered, defeated the Russian Anna Pashina and secured the bronze.

"Sad with the defeat from the semifinal, but happy with the bronze! First I thank God, my family, friends, Pinheiros and BJC for all their support! Thank you! " the athlete celebrated.

The third bronze of the day came from Jessica Pereira (52kg). The athlete from Rio fought five times before reaching the podium. In the qualifiers she defeated the Dutch Aukje Balmakers, but was defeated herself in the second fight by the French Astride Gneto. In the repechage Jessica Pereira won over Austrian Sarah Strohmayer and the Germans Barbara Ertl and Ines Beischmidt, ensuring the third place in the category.

"Third placed in the European Cup in Berlin. It was not the result I wanted, but God knows what he does and now I have to correct my mistakes for the next one. Thanks everyone who helped me get here!" the judoka thanked.

Among men, the first medal was brought by Vitor Hugo Carvalho (60kg/SP). In the qualifiers, the judoka defeated the Hungarian Akos Bartha and the Kazakh Kylysh Yerenkaiypov, and was defeated by the Russian Sakhavat Gadzhiev. In the repechage, he overcame the Austrian Martin Morgenbesser, the British Neil Macdonald and Samuel Hall and brought home the bronze.

"Third place in the European Cup Berlin. I am very happy with this achievement! Thank God and all of you who stood next by me, “the athlete shared on his Facebook page.

The fifth and final medal of the day was Gabriel Pinheiro’s (66kg/PE), who also made six fights. He won the first fight against the Russian Aleksandr Kriventcev, but lost the second one against the Kazakh Yerassyl Sakenuly. In the repechage, Brazilian defeated the German David Karle, the Italian Buagio Stefanelli, the Israeli Rodeon Golod and the Georgian Beka Shavdatuashvili and so he won the bronze medal.

Tomorrow fight Rafael Macedo (81kg/RS), Eduardo Santos (81kg/SP), Thiago Chiodi (90kg/SP), Gabriel Souza (100kg/SP), João Cesarino Silva (+100 kg / RS), Danielle Oliveira (63kg/RJ ), Mariana Veiga (70kg/MS), Isadora Pereira (78kg/MG), Sibilla Facchiolli (+78 kg / SP) and Camilla Nogueira (+78 kg / MS).

Check out the attached summaries.