Brazil Wins Three Medals at the Grand Slam from Tokyo
Brazil scored three medals on the first day of the Grand Slam of Tokyo, one of the oldest and most important competitions of this sport. The half - lightweight Charles Chibana and Erika Miranda were silver-awarded. Four other Brazilians were in contention for the third place in their categories. Sarah Menezes managed to win her fourth bronze in the competition, whereas Rafaela Silva, Ketleyn Quadros and Eleudis Valentine reached the fifth position.
\"The competition in Tokyo has always been very demanding, especially with four Japanese per each category. These three medals are important to end the 2013 season with a good result, \" said the Performance Director of the Brazilian Judo Confederation, Ney Wilson . \" This is the largest Brazilian judo delegation sent to Tokyo by now and we started the tournament with the major part of our 24 athletes as keys,\" he stated. The trip’s funds came from federal resources got through the Incentive Law to Sports.
The half - lightweight Charles Chibana and Erika Miranda were those who came farther. In front of his fan club, formed by relatives from Brazil and Okinawa / JPN, Chibana faced the Japanese Tomofumi Takajo in the final. The vice world champion Erika Miranda fought against the Japanese Yuki Hashimoto. Both judokas got the silver medal.
\"It is great to come to the other side of the world and have people supporting you. I started the year among the top 100 best judokas and now I am in the 4th position. I have been training a lot before getting here. I wish I have won the gold, but maybe I will next year. \" Chibana said .
\"It was my first international competition after the Rio World Championships. I wish I have won the gold, but I\'m satisfied. The team\'s results show that we are a strong one, “Erika said.
The Olympic champion Sarah Menezes took her fifth bronze from Japan to Piaui. The extra-lightweight reached the third place during the Grand Slams from 2009, 2010, 2011 and in the World Championships 2010.
\"It\'s wonderful to be on the podium in Japan. We feel even more special by winning a medal where the judo itself was born,\" said Sarah, who did not have to participate in the last fight because her opponent, the Russian Kristina Rumyantseva, did not attend come to the tatami because of her injury .
The lightweight Rafaela Silva and Ketleyn Quadros disputed the bronze. The world champion faced Christa Deguchi ( JPN ) and lost by hansokumake (elimination because of four penalties ), while the Olympic medalist fought against Anzu Yamamoto and was defeated for having a punishment more than her opponent. Eleudis Valentim, the half- lightweight, lost the fight for medals to the Romanian Andreea Chitu by ippon.
The other four Brazilians who fought on Friday in Tokyo did not reach the finals. The Olympic medalist Felipe Kitadai was defeated by Toru Shishime ( JPN ) in the first fight of the extra-lightweight, the same category as Eric Takabatake’s, who did not advance either for having been defeated by Jim Won Kim ( KOR ). In the female extra-lightweight, Nathália Brígida was defeated in the first fight by Ami Kondo (JPN) and, in the male half-lightweight, Luiz Revite fell in the second fight disputed against Ren Miyzaki ( JPN ), after defeating Jungmin Lee ( KOR ) .
This Saturday Alex Pombo and Marcelo Contini ( 73kg ), Mariana Barros and Katherine Campos ( 63kg ) , Maria Portela and Nadia Merli ( 70kg ) will compete. SporTV, ESPN Brazil and Esporte Interactive will live broadcast the finals starting from 5:00, Brasilia timezone.
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