Leandro Cunha Comes Back to São José and Assures His Team Will Fight for the Podium in GP
The world vice-champion will be the captain of the team from São Paulo who will be taking place next weekend in Belo Horizonte
The 11th edition of the Grand Prix National Male Judo will be taking place next weekend, in Belo Horizonte. Today’s main Brazilian judoka will be there, taking part in a contest that promises competitiveness and balance among the participating teams. Blending experience and renewal, supporting teams such as SMEL São José dos Campos and SESI may surprise the traditional teams who usually fight for the national title.
The team of São José has among its members the half-lightweight Nicolas Santos and three more athletes who were called to the Selection Rio 2016: the lightweight Lincoln Neves, Brazil's representative at the World Junior Championship in Miami, and the heavyweight Leandro Gonçalves and Isaque Conserva, champion and vice-champion of the senior Brazilian Championship, respectively. The captain is the experienced Leandro Cunha (73kg), twice world vice-champion (Paris 2010 and Tokyo 2011), who comes back to San Jose after many years defending ECPinheiros.
"It's the first time I'm wearing the shirt of my city (São José dos Campos) after competing for many years with other teams and this brings me a special taste," Cunha said. "They'll be there the big favorites, such as the EC Pinheiros, Minas, Sogipa, but we have a strong team and we will surely fight for a place on the podium." he added.
SESI-SP has two good names that have been part of the Brazilian national team and it is another team that could surprise. Bruno Mendonça, 73 kg, gold medalist at the Pan American Games Guadalajara 2011 and vice-champion in Grand Slam Paris 2013 is one of the hopes of the team. Furthermore, Mendonça, who will be joined by his club partner Hugo Praxedes (+ 90Kg), is one of the called athletes for the Selection 2016 which will set the final names of the Brazilian national judo team who will take part in the Olympic Games.
The National Male GP will take place at Minas Tenis Clube in Belo Horizonte, on Novemver 8th and 9th. The finals will be live broadcast at SporTV starting from Sunday noon.
