Leandro Guilheiro wins the silver medal at the Tunis Grand Prix

Leandro Guilheiro has gone up the podium for the third consecutive time in a competition of the World Circuit.

The only athlete from Brazil at the IJF Tunis Grand Prix, Leandro Guilheiro won the silver medal of the -81kg category. Less than a year after having changed weights, going from -73kg to -81kg, Guilheiro went up the podium in all three competitions of the World Circuit he disputed: bronze at the Grand Slam in Tokyo, gold at the Grand Slam in Paris and silver in Tunis.

“I thought a lot before changing categories, but the results have shown that I made the right decision”, said Guilheiro, who went to Tunis with the head coach of the Brazilian Judo Confederation, Ney Wilson.

Still weighing only 78kg, which is considered very little for the category, since most athletes usually weight the maximum weight limit of each category, Guilheiro felt that the three extra kilos made a difference.

“The strength is different. I’m still adapting to it”, said the judoka. “Since the early hours of today I felt a little stuck and I knew that the day wouldn’t be as spectacular as it was in Paris”, he continued referring to the Grand Slam in Paris, in February, when he won all his fights by ippon.

In his path to the final, Guilheiro did not have an easy time; right at the first round he faced Francesco Bruyere (ITA), silver at the World Championship 2005. The victory came during the Golden Score because of a punishment. Next, the Brazilian athlete faced Laszlo Csoknyai from Hungary, who was also punished after trying to grab Guilheiro’s leg (this is a forbidden move in judo). During the quarter-finals, Guilheiro fought against Guillaume Elmont (NED) champion of the world in 2005. They had previously faced each other during the Grand Slam in Tokyo, in December last, when Guilheiro also defeated Elmont. The decision against the German judoka Ole Bischof, Olympic Champion in 2008, was decided because of his opponent’s strategy and the Brazilian judoka lost for being punished.

“He is very smart and knew how to neutralize some of my strongest moves”, explained Guilheiro.

During the 22nd and 23rd of May, Leandro Guilheiro will be part of the Brazilian Team during the dispute of the Rio de Janeiro Grand Slam. On the following week, he and the team will be in São Paulo for the World Cup.

“I always go into a competition with the goal to win and I will work hard for that to happen at home”, he concluded.