The Brazilian Senior Team Board This Thursday to Japan for Some Weeks of Training
Eleven athletes who participated in the Grand Slam from Moscow are going to train at the University of Nittai Daigaku
After their great performance at the Grand Slam from Moscow where they won three gold, four silver and three bronze medals, the Brazilian judokas participated in an after training during the last few days. On Thursday, July 25th, the group splits up. A part of it comes back to Brazil and the other goes to Japan, more precisely to the University of Nittai Daigaku, where they train until August 9th. Their aim is getting prepared for the World Championship, which is going to be held from August 26th to September 1st in Rio de Janeiro.
\"Training in Japan targets to adjust some details involving technique as well as isolate the team from their daily problems, making them focus on the World Championship.\" said Ney Wilson, the Performance Director of Senior Teams.
The athletes who were convoked to train for two weeks in the country which created the judo are as follow: Felipe Kitadai (60kg), Luiz Revite (66kg), Charles Chibana (66kg), Bruno Mendonça (73kg), Victor Penalber (81kg), Renan Nunes (100kg ), Luciano Correa (100kg), Hugo Pessanha (100kg), Rafael Silva (+100 kg), Walter Santos (+100 kg) and David Moura (+100 kg).
\"The training camp from Moscow was a very serious one since it has been attended by all the athletes who competed in the GS. Among them, there was the Russian team whose members are likely to take part in the World Championship as well as several other European athletes who came there only for training purposes. It will be great spending all this time in Japan because it is the country where the judo saw the light. Besides, this place is a successful one when it comes to judo and nothing can be compared to training with the best when you want to improve! \" Renan Nunes said.
\"Training in Japan is fantastic because all its athletes are important judokas and judo is a traditional sport in their culture. Being there helps reviving the whole philosophy of this sport, respect and discipline. And this is so important before the World Championship. It is good as well to do handoris (fighting out of competition) with strong people and Japan can provide them in all weight categories. \" said Luciano Correa.
According to the criteria set by the coaching committee when convoking to the World Championship, the best ranked Brazilian judokas in their corresponding categories will be convoked to the competition. There are certain doubts when it comes to categories represented by two athletes. According to the new rules adopted by the International Judo Federation, the participating countries have the right to bring nine maximum male athletes and nine female ones. Brazil is going to compete with the maximum number of athletes, meaning that two categories will \"double\".
\"I cannot say that my performance in Grand Slam has made the coaches of the selective commission change their mind. I entered the mat very focused, trying to compete as well as I always do, get on the podium and climb some more positions in the ranking. I will take this opportunity from Japan, one of the world best judo places, in order to train with some of the best worldwide athletes, \"said Charles Chibana (66kg), one of three gold medalists in Moscow.
On Thursday, the other fourteen athletes who competed in Moscow fly back to Brazil. The next commitment of the Brazilian Team is the International Contest which takes place between August 1st- 3rd in Queimados, the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro.
Photo: IJF / Tamas Zahonyi
