Silver-Awarded in the GP of Cuba, Takabakate Climbs Nine Positions in the World Ranking

The update shows that Charles Chibana (66kg) and Rafael Silva (+100 kg) keep leading their categories. Four women are vice-leaders.

Charles Chibana (66kg) and Rafael Silva (+100 kg) keep leading their respective categories in the updated world rankings released this week after the European Open from Madrid and the Grand Prix of Havana. The competition in Cuba was the first scoring points that will worth for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the Brazilians who reached the podium in the tournament managed to climb important positions. Eric Takabatake (60kg) and Tiago Camilo (90kg), the vice-champions of the tournament, did the best performance. The "King of ippon", twice Olympic medalist, won five positions rising from the 13^th to the 8^th place. The young Takabatake, 23 years old, managed to climb nine places, from the 25^th to the 16^th position, thanks to their silver medal who was 180 point-worth.

"I am very happy with my result from Cuba and with my new ranking position. Competing abroad is good because I will get more experience and the ranking position makes me more confident for the next competitions. "Eric said. The better-placed Brazilian of the extra-lightweight category is the bronze medalist in London 2012,who is Felipe Kitadai, seventh-positioned.

Hugo Pessanha, who won the bronze in the last GP and scored 120 additional points, is the 23^rd placed, the third best placed among Brazilian athletes, behind Luciano Correa (6^th) and Rafael Buzacarini (15^th). Renan Nunes, who also competed in Havana and disputed the Pan American Open from El Salvador, is 33^rd placed.

Victor Penalber (81kg) and Marcelo Contini (73kg) who scored 60 points because of their fifth place in Cuba, are 5^th  and 23^rd  in their respective weight categories. Among the lightweight athletes, the best-placed Brazilian male athlete is still Alex Pombo; he got the 11^th place. Leandro Cunha who scored his first points in the new category, the lightweight one,  thanks to his seventh place in the GP, is 192^nd placed. David Moura (+100 kg) also has an excellent position in the rankings: he is the seventh.

Concerning the female athletes, Sarah Menezes (48kg) and Erika Miranda (52kg), bronze medalist and silver-awarded respectively at the Grand Prix, are still in the second position of their categories’ ranking. Same position as Rafaela Silva’s (57kg) and Maria Suelen Altheman’s (+78 kg). Other well-placed athletes are Ketleyn Quadros, on fifth in the lightweight category, Mariana Barros, on eleventh among her half-middleweight counterparts, and Mayra Aguiar,  on sixth in the half heavyweight category.