Rafaela Silva (57kg) Is Bronze Awarded in Grand Slam from Paris
Rafaela Silva (57kg) was not intimidated by a crowded gym cheering against her and won the bronze at the Grand Slam from Paris in the lightweight category by defeating the French Laetitia Blot by wazari and yuko. It was Brazil’s first medal in this competition!
Check the Brazilians’ performance so far:
Mariana Silva (63kg) had her first victory over Zuhra Madraimova (TKM).Thereafter, she defeated the Cuban Maricet Espinosa and she reached the quarter –finals, but unfortunately there she could not stand against Anne - Laure Bellard (FRA). In the repechage, Miki Tanaka ( JPN ) was declared the winner of the fight against Mariana Silva (63kg) because her defeat in the semifinal was a disciplinary hansoku -make , which eliminates her from the competition .
In the same category, Katherine Campos (63kg) was defeated right from the beginning by the Dutch, the 4th best world athlete, Anicka Van Emden.
Rafaela Silva (57kg) defeated the Thai Om Pongchaliew and then the Canadian Stefanie Tremblay. In the key decision -equivalent to the quarter -finals, she was beaten by the Japanese Anzu Yamamoto. In the repechage, she won over Telma Monteiro ( POR) by ippon and reached the fight for bronze.
Still in the lightweight category, Flavia Gomes started with a victory against the Ivorian Zouleiha Abzetta Dabonne, but she was defeated afterwards by the Serbian Jovana Rogic.
Sarah Menezes (48kg) lost in the first fight against the French Amandine Buchard. The same happened to the newcomer Jessica Pereira (52kg), who could not resist the Canadian Ecaterina Guica.
The three men who represented Brazil also failed to reach the final block. Felipe Kitadai (60kg) had no luck against the Frenchman Vincent Limare. Bruno Mendonça (73kg) could not fit his game against the Greek Georgios Azoidis and was defeated in the first encounter. However, Marcelo Contini ( 73kg ) defeated the Serbian Ljubisa Kovacevic but could not resist to the French Guillaume Chaine and stayed out of the repechage.
