São Paulo will be the home of the world judo this weekend

The home city of most Brazilian Olympic and World Champions will hold the biggest judo event of its history. The São Paulo World Cup, part of IJF’s World Circuit, will gather 320 athletes from 35 countries during the weekend of 29th and 30th of May at the Hebraica Sports Club. The World Cup will be worth points for the Olympic ranking, which will qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“This is World Cup is the size of a Grand Prix because of the number and quality of athletes present. We might even say that this is the strongest Cup of the World Circuit”, commented the technical coordinator of the Brazilian Team, Ney Wilson. In 2009 the World Cup in Belo Horizonte was disputed by 153 athletes from 23 countries.

In action from Brazil will be the Olympians Carlos Honorato, Tiago Camilo, Leandro Guilheiro and Flavio Canto; and the World Champions Luciano Correa.

During the Rio Grand Slam, last weekend, Brazil won six medals: gold for Hugo Pessanha (-90kg), silver for Maria Suellen Althaman (+78kg), and bronze for Flávio Canto (-81kg), Leandro Guilheiro (-81kg) , Mariana Silva (-63kg) and Mayra Aguiar (-78kg). Brazil had also nine fifth places.

“I hope I can once again go to the final and, who knows, win another fight against Kirill Denisov. It is important to have the chance to sum up points and have this excess [of points] towards the road to London 2012”, said Hugo Pessanha.
The Olympic Champion Ilias Iliadis (Athens 2004) also has plans for the São Paulo World Cup and made sure to praise the Brazilian Organizanizing Committee:

“I congratulate Brazil for organizing and holding these two events of the Circuit. I didn’t make it to the finals in Rio, but my goal is to win some points in São Paulo. I will give it my best”, guaranteed the Greek judoka, who finished the Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro in fifth place.

The Brazilian Team will have some changes from the Grand Slam. Helena Romanelli (-70kg) is back and Eleudis Valentim (-52kg), Deborah Souza (-78kg) and Samantha Soares (+78kg) are out due to injuries.