The Brazilian Junior Team Arrives this Thursday in Santo Domingo for the World Judo Tour
Brazil will be represented by Nathália Mercadante (48kg), Aléxia Castilhos (63kg) and Daniel Cargnin (66kg), champions of the Junior Selective.
The three athletes who will represent Brazil in the first two stages of the World Tour 2015 arrive on Thursday in the Caribbean region. Nathália Mercadante (48kg / Ass. Marcos Mercadante Judo / SP), Aléxia Castilhos (63kg / Sogipa / RS) and Daniel Cargnin (66kg / Sogipa / RS), champions of the National Junior Selective in their respective categories, compete next weekend – 17th and 18th January - in Santo Domingo, capital of Dominican Republic. Nathália Mercadante thinks it is important to start the year competing in an international tournament.
"It's great to see how I am, what I need to improve, correct and evolve. I hope I can represent well my country, know more my opponents here in America and try to begin the year with a real achievement, "said the 19 year-old judoka. ”It will be a great experience in the pursuit of this year’s goal which is the World Junior Championship," concluded the athlete, who has already won a medal in the World Judo Championship: bronze at the World Youth Championship in Kiev 2011.
The athletes are joined by the coach assistant Matheus Theotônio. Soon after the disputes in the Dominican Republic, the young talented judokas travel to Puerto Rico, where they will take part in the second stage of the World Tour in the city of Ponce, on 23rd -25th of January.
When coming back home, Nathalia, Alexia and Daniel will have another important challenge to overcome. They go to Saquarema, located in Região dos Lagos of Rio de Janeiro, where they will take part in the International Training Camp together with about 200 athletes, members of the Brazilian team and other 10 foreign national teams, including Teddy Riner and Kayla Harrison. The training will be open for judokas who are not part of the national team.
