The Junior Teams Win Three Gold, Two Silver and One Bronze Medals in Prague
Brazil won this Saturday, April 26th, six medals at the European Junior Cup from Prague. On the first day of competition, the highest place of the podium was reached by Luiz Claudio Lima Junior (55kg/SP), Tawany Silva (48kg/SP) and Jessica Pereira (52kg/RJ). The silver medals belong to Vitor Hugo Carvalho (55kg/SP) and Larissa Farias (44kg/MS). Flávia Gomes (57kg) got the bronze award. Tomorrow’s competing athletes are Rafael Macedo (81kg/RS), Eduardo Santos (81kg/SP), Thiago Chiodi (90kg/SP), Gabriel Souza (100kg/SP), João Cesarino Silva (+100 kg / RS), Danielle Oliveira (63kg / RJ), Mariana Veiga (70kg/MS), Isadora Pereira (78kg/MG), Sibilla Facchiolli (+78 kg / SP) and Camilla Nogueira (+78 kg / MS).
It's been a while since Jessica Pereira has shown her strength. Current world junior vice-champion, the judoka was awarded in two stages of the World Tour. After a gold award in Thüringen / GER and a bronze one in Leibnitz / AUT, everyone who was on Saturday in the Sparta Arena could see the Brazilian climbing for the second time in the highest place of the podium.
In order to reach the final, Jessica Pereira made five fights and won four of them by ippon. In the qualifiers, she defeated Kelly Staddon (UK), Lizaveta Slabodchykava (BY) and Patricia Toth (HU). The semifinal was the toughest fight, the judoka won against Ines Beischmidt (ALE) because of a penalty. And in just 13 seconds, the Carioca athlete applied her fourth ippon of the day on Katinka Szabo (HU) and brought home the gold medal.
Leader of the national rankings with 565 points and of the world with 240, the 20 years old judoka could not hide her satisfaction. "Champion of the European Junior Cup of Prague 2014! I am very happy with the result! I would like to thank everyone who helped me in this achievement! And thanks to all my supporters! "Jessica Pereira shared on social networks.
The day brought a gold award for Tawany Silva as well. The athlete from São Paulo won the gold medal after making a tough fight against Reka Pupp (HU) and she won it by a punishment. In the first rounds, she also defeated Tabea Mara Kraft (AUT) and Tamara Silva (SWT), and in the semifinal Kamshat Karassaikyzy (KAZ).
Tawany Silva had already won gold in another stage of the World Tour, the Thuringen / GER. With this victory, the judoka thanked for her support. "I am very happy to know that I have family and friends by my side helping me when I need it, because only those who go through this know how difficult it is. Thank God I got the first place in a strong competition like this and I have faith in Our Lord that in Berlin everything will be OK too, “the athlete said.
The Brazilian third gold medal of this Saturday came from Luiz Claudio Lima Junior (55kg/SP) who defeated five opponents. Dmitriy Dyuryagin (RUS), Denislav Ivanov (BUL) and Lorenz Wildner (AUT) were eliminated by the Brazilian in the qualifiers. In the semifinal, Luiz Claudio defeated Andrei Surnin (RUS) and enhanced his way to the final, in which he overcame Shahen Abaghyan (ARM). "When God wants it, nobody can stand against!" the judoka wrote on his Facebook page.
Larissa Farias was defeated by Borislava Damyanova (BUL) on the round robin (all against one) and won the silver. The second place got by Vitor Hugo Carvalho came after being defeated by Davud Mammadov (AZE).
Flavia Gomes, who was also beaten in the qualifiers by Nitzan Meiron (ISR), recovered in the repechage and won bronze after a victory against Carina Hildbrand (SWI).
Gabriel Pinheiro (66kg/PE), Lincoln Neves (73kg/SP), Fernando Ramos (73kg / MG), Caio Brigida (73kg / SP), Nathalia Mercadante (48kg / SP), Jessica Pereira (52kg/RJ) and Tamires Silva (57kg/RJ) also fought on Saturday but did not end up on the podium.
On Sunday the competition goes on. The fights start at five am, Brasília time zone, and the final will be played from 11 am.
Check out the first day’s fights in the attached file.
