The Brazilian Senior Team Has Been Defined for 2014

Over 100 athletes were giving their best at Flamengo Gym for the remaining 21 vacancies in the team

On a high level judo Saturday, the Brazilian team was defined for 2014 after the second stage of the Selection Contest Rio 2016. In all, 111 athletes - 60 men and 51 women - from 17 different states competed for the 21 available vacancies- 13 female and 8 male –in the high performance team. Being part of the team in 2014 becomes even more important since starting from May, the world ranking score counts in 2016 and can be decisive in choosing the Brazilian representatives at the Games from Rio de Janeiro.

In the morning three lighter categories competed. In the extra-light female category, which already counts on the Olympic champion Sarah Menezes, there will be a repetition of three athletes who were in the group this year: Gabriela Chibana, Nathália Brigida and the Olympic champion herself. Regarding the male competitors, Allan Kuwabara got the vacancy. In half lightweight category, Jessica Pereira, the silver medalist at the World Junior surprised everybody and got Eleudis Valentine’s place. Raquel Silva got the other place. In the male, Vinicius Sakamoto got Leandro Cunha’s vacancy; the latter was twice vice world champion.

\"It is an honor to replace an icon such Coxa and I am proud as well to be part of the National Team. I had been missing it for some years and thanks to my training, the structure offered by my club and the opportunities provided by the BJC helped me to get here, \" Sakamoto said.

The lightweight was the only category who had only one available vacancy for women. Flavia Gomes, who is in her last year in the junior team and two weeks ago she got the right to participate in the World Junior Circuit, repeated the performance in the main selection and completed the team which counts on the world champion Rafaela Silva and the Olympic medalist Ketleyn Quadros.

“It is very gratifying to have won the Selection Contest, I wanted to keep my position. Competing abroad in the Junior team helped me to have more experience and, of course, made a difference in my progress. The routine travel will be tiresome but I love doing judo and competing is part of my job, \"she said.

The male vacancy was given to Marcelo Contini, who participated in the International Federation circuit in 2013 defending the colors of Brazil but he did not manage to be among the world top 22 athletes, which would exclude him from the Selection Contest. Among the names he left behind are Igor Pereira, Marcos Seixas and Eduardo Katsuhiro Barbosa.

“Thank God I managed to win this extremely difficult tournament. I was quite stressed because despite being well ranked last year, I could not reach the Selection Contest. I think that I was tactically good, but technically I have to evolve yet. I am thinking on how to do this. Now I will have some rest until New Year\'s Eve and resume training in January to start well the year,\" Contini said.

In the half middleweight, the young Gustavo Assis, who is his first year of senior, took the favorites by surprise and got into the team together with the vice-leader of the world ranking Victor Penalber and the twice Olympic medalist Leandro Guilheiro. In female, there was no surprise: Mariana Silva and Katherine Quadros revalidated their places. The same happened with the middleweight women and men such as Barbara Timo, Nadia Merli, Eduardo Santos and Eduardo Bettoni Silva who kept their positions.

In the male half heavyweight, Hugo Pessanha, did not feel the weight of favoritism and reaffirmed his place. In female, Samantha Soares, a silver medalist in the last World Junior, Championships kept her position. Renata Januario took the new position open this year and will compete for the first time in IJF events.

In the female heavyweight, Rochele Nunes and Claudirene Cezar remain in the selection together with the leader of the world ranking, Maria Suelen Altheman. Regarding the male, Gabriel Souza got the available position in the last fight after defeating Ruan Silva, the home athlete who had the fans’ support.

“The year was very troubled beginning with some results not very good and, suddenly it became wonderful. I just have to thank the club that gave me all the necessary structure and to BJC for their trust, calling me to the support team and giving me the opportunity to compete in GP Qingdao. Now I have to continue working to find my place \", said Gabriel, the silver medalist at the Grand Prix of China.

\" It is the first time that Selection Contest had that size. This is very important for athletes, especially for the younger ones, because they need to feel this competitive climate, with a hostile crowd. Even those who did not qualify were observed in more detail by the technical committee and we are sure that going through a dispute like this will make them either emotionally or technically more experienced, \"said Ney Wilson.

Soon after the Selection Contest, the International Challenge was held, where Brazil faced Colombia in the female and Argentina in the male, with a team formed by athletes who performed well during the tournament. Check out the full list of athletes who will represent Brazil in 2014. The names marked with an asterisk are the athletes who have gone through Selection Contest Rio 2016 - Stage II.

60kg
Felipe Kitadai (RS)
Diego Santos (RS)
Allan Kuwabara (SP)*

66kg
Charles Chibana (SP)
Luiz Revite (SP)
Vinicius Leal (MG)*

73kg
Bruno Mendonça (SP)
Alex Pombo (MG)
Marcelo Contini (SP)*

81kg
Victor Penalber (RJ)
Leandro Guilheiro (SP)
Gustavo Assis (MG)*

90kg
Tiago Camilo (SP)
Eduardo Santos (RS)*
Eduardo Bettoni Silva (MG)*

100kg
Renan Nunes (RS)
Luciano Correa (MG)
Rafael Buzacarini (SP)
Hugo Pessanha (MG)*


+100kg
Rafael Silva (SP)
David Moura (MT)
Walter Santos (SP)
Gabriel Souza (MG)*


48kg:
Sarah Menezes (PI)
Gabriela Chibana (SP)*
Nathália Brigida (MG)*

52kg:
Érika Miranda (MG)
Raquel Silva (RJ)*
Jéssica Pereira (RJ)*


57kg:
Rafaela Silva (RJ)
Ketleyn Quadros (MG)
Flávia Gomes (SP)*

63kg:
Mariana Barros (SP)
Mariana Silva (MG)*
Katherine Campos (RJ)*

70kg:
Maria Portela (RS)
Bárbara Timo (RJ)*
Nádia Merli (SP)*

78kg:
Mayra Aguiar (RS)
Samanta Soares (SP)*
Renata Januário (RJ)*

+78kg:
Maria Suelen Altheman (SP)
Rochele Nunes (RS)*
Claudirene Cezar (SP)*