The Brazilian Junior Team Is Called to Compete in Miami 2014 World Judo Championships
The Cadet and Junior Teams Managers of the Brazilian Judo Confederation announced on Tuesday, September 16th, the names of the 19 called athletes to Miami 2014 World Judo Junior Championships, which will be held from October 21st to 26th in the United States.
The called athletes are the following ones:
55kg (extra-extralightweight): Luiz Cláudio Lima Junior (Sec Esp e Lazer from São José dos Campos / SP..)
60kg (lightweight): Vitor Carvalho (SE Palmeiras / SP)
66kg (half lightweight): Ricardo Santos Júnior (Minas TC / MG) and Gabriel Pinheiro (Ass Cia Judo / PE.)
73kg (lightweight): Lincoln Neves (Sec Esp e Lazer from São José dos Campos / SP..)
81kg (half middleweight): Rafael Macedo (SOGIPA / RS) and Eduardo Santos (EC Pinheiros / SP)
90kg (middleweight): Thiago Chiodi (SESI / SP)
100kg (half - heavyweight): Gabriel Souza (EC Pinheiros / SP)
+ 100kg (heavyweight): João Cesarino (SOGIPA / RS)
44kg (extra-extralight): Larissa Farias (Judo Club Rocha/ MS)
48kg (extralight): Tawany Silva (EC Pinheiros / SP)
52kg (half lightweight): Jessica Pereira (Reação Institute / RJ)
57kg (lightweight): Tamires Crude Silva (Reação Institute / RJ) and Flávia Gomes (EC Pinheiros / SP)
63kg (half middleweight): Danielle Karla Oliveira (CR Flamengo / RJ)
70kg (middleweight): Mariana Veiga (Judo Club Rocha / MS)
+ 78kg (heavyweight): Sibilla Faccholli (São Bernardo / SP) and Camila Gebara (Sakura Judo Club / MS)
"We're a very balanced team, with athletes who participated in the major championships of the World Tour, due to a partnership between us and the Sports Ministry through the Sports Incentive Law and Agnelo-Piva and Siconv Laws" said Marcelo Theotônio, manager of the teams.
Brazil has athletes in the top 10 of the world junior ranking in 11 of the 16 categories who will participate in the competition. Among men, the extra-light Vitor Carvalho, the light Lincoln Neves and the half-middleweight Rafael Macedo are leaders in their respective categories, while Gabriel Souza is the second in the half-heavyweight whereas Gabriel Pinheiro, the third in the half-lightweight and Eduardo Santos is the fifth in the half-middleweight. In women’s categories, Larissa Farias, Jessica Pereira, Danielle Karla Oliveira and Camila Nogueira are first placed. Tawany Silva is the third placed among the extra-lightweight world judokas, Flavia Gomes is the fourth in the lightweight and Sibilla Facholli is sixth placed among the heavyweight athletes. Similar to their senior counterparts, the junior athletes who are in the top eight of their categories will be head-keys in the World Junior Championships.
"Being head-key is important because it means you have less fights and generally you face weaker opponents early in the competition. However, since not all countries participate in the World Tour, it will not be a surprise if an unknown athlete gets to the podium, " Theotônio said. "Our goal is to win at least four medals."
The athletes’ immersion into the World Junior Championships begins on September 28th when 19 judokas start the concentration stage in São Paulo. There will be intense training sessions in at the previous premises of Projeto Futuro in which the senior team will participate as well together with their Japanese counterparts on September 29th, 30th and 31st. However, most of the preparation is done at Esporte Clube Pinheiros.
The athletes will be joined by the coaches Douglas Vieira and Andrea Berti, together with the physiotherapist Gustavo Braga and the coaching supervisor Edmilson Guimarães. Marcelo Theotônio will be the head of the delegation. The whole team will board to the United States from Guarulhos International Airport on October 19th. The team will come back home on October 27th.
