The largest World Cup in history starts this Saturday in São Paulo

The largest Judo World Cup to have ever been held in Brazil starts this Saturday (29) in São Paulo and will gather 319 judokas from 37 countries during the weekend at the Hebraica Gymnasium. The event is part of the World Circuit of the International Judo Federation and is worth points for the Olympic rank. The people from São Paulo will have the chance to see up close nothing less than 15 Olympic medalists and 30 World Champions, amongst them judokas form Austria, Cuba, Hungary, Israel and Russia. Brazil is the only country in the world to organize two events of the World Circuit. A week ago in Rio de Janeiro the Grand Slam took place and the country won six medals – one gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

“This is World Cup is the size of a Grand Prix because of the number and quality of athletes present. We might even say that this is the strongest Cup of the World Circuit”, commented the technical coordinator of the Brazilian Team, Ney Wilson. In 2009 the World Cup in Belo Horizonte was disputed by 153 athletes from 23 countries.
In action from Brazil will be the Olympians Carlos Honorato, Tiago Camilo, Leandro Guilheiro and Flavio Canto; and the World Champions Luciano Correa.

The Brazilian Team had a training session on Friday morning in São Paulo and for some of its athletes like Hugo Pessanha the possibility of wining more point for the Olympic rank in Brazil is quite special. The World Cup will give 100 point to the gold medalist, 60 to the silver medalists and 40 to the bronzes.

“To have the chance to fight two events in a row is good for any athlete, being able to do it in your own country is even better. I hope the fans will come and support us and help us win more medals”, said the gold medalist of the Grand Slam in Rio.

The runner up in Rio, Maria Suellen Althamam (+78kg) will have another chance to compete at home in from of friends and family.

“After the result in Rio I know I have more responsibilities since people are expecting another medal. Winning the silver medal was very good; it rated me in the group of people who will qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games, but everyone is always aiming to be the champion”, said Suellen.

On Friday the São Paulo World Cup was officially oppened by the Sports, Leisure and Recreation of the City of São Paulo, Valter Rocha. Also present were the Federal Representative Walter Feldman; the president of the Brazilian Judo Confederation, Paulo Wanderley Teixeira; the Olypic Champion and São Paulo City Concilor, Aurélio Miguel; the Sports Administrative Coordinator, Magic Paula; and the president of the Hebraica Sports Club, Arthur Rotemberg.

“This is one of the greatest World Cups to be organized ever. We owed it to São Paulo, the home state of so many Olympic and World Champions, an event as this one”, said the president of the Brazilian Judo Confederation and vice-president of the International Judo Federation, Paulo Wanderley Teixeira.”There are more athletes competing here this year than there were at the Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro in 2009”, commented the Mr. Teixeira.

“I am thrilled and very proud to see the development of the Brazilian Judo. Unfortunately, when we were fighting, we didn’t have the same opportunity. Paulo Wanderley transformed the judo in Brazil. I hope that you, athletes, keep on dedicating yourselves to continue with this tradition and good results”, said an obviously emotional Aurélio Miguel in front of the whole Brazilian judokas who will be competing this weekend.

On Saturday the judokas of the -48kg, -52kg, -57kg, -63kg, -60kg, -66kg and -73kg categories will be in action and on Sunday is time for the -70kg, -78kg, +78kg, -81kg, -90kg, -100kg and +100kg athletes to take the centre stage. On both days the elimination round start at 9:30 and the semifinals and finals at 16:30.

WORLD CIRCUIT

The Judo World Circuit was created by the International Judo Federation in 2009. The calendar puts together 26 events between Masters, Grand Slams, Grand Prix and World Cups, all worth points for the world ranking. From this ranking the athletes going to the 2012 Olympic Games will be defined. Starting on May 2010, every competition will count points for London 2012.

Brazil is the only country in the world that has the privilege and responsibility to organize two events of the Circuit: the Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro and the World Cup in São Paulo. In the fight for the Olympic dream to have two opportunities to compete “at home” is an extra encouragement to the Brazilian judokas.

BRAZILIAN ATHLETES

Because Brazil is the host country of the events, it is allowed to entry four athletes in each of the 14 categories in both the Grand Slam and the World Cup, which willl make possible for the fans to see the main athletes of the country in action.
The judokas from Brazil who will be competing at the São Paulo World Cup are (beside their names their rate on the world ranking WRL and in parenthesis the change in position after the Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro: + gone up; - gone down; = maintained the same position):


MALE


-60kg 1 Breno Alves (SP), WRL 109 (=)

2 Ricardo Ayres (RJ), WRL 54 (=)

3 Felipe Kitadai (SP), WRL 23 (+4)

4 Phelipe André Pelim (SP), WRL 61 (+20)

-66kg 1 Leandro Cunha (SP), WRL 15 (=)

2 Alex Wilian Pombo (SP), WRL 57 (-1)

3 Luis Revite (SP), WRL 150 (-2)

4 Denilson Lourenço (SP)

-73kg 1 Bruno Mendonça (SP), WRL 53 (+13)

2 Felipe Amaro Braga(RS), WRL 156 (=)

3 Moacir Jr (RS)

4 Adriano Santos(SP)

-81kg 1 Nacif Elias (MG), WRL 25 (-2)

2 Flávio Canto (RJ), WRL 13 (+1)

3 Leandro Guilheiro (SP), WRL 6 (+3)

4 Guilherme Luna (RS), WRL 51 (-2)

-90kg 1 Hugo Pessanha (MG), WRL 4 (+3)

2 Tiago Camilo (SP), WRL 9 (=)

3 Eduardo Santos (RS), WRL 39 (-1)

4 Felipe Cesar Oliveira (SP)

-100kg 1 Luciano Corrêa (MG), WRL 6 (=)

2 Leonardo Leite (RJ), WRL 14 (=)

3 Alex Aguiar (SP), WRL 102 (=)

4 Carlos Honorato (SP)

+100kg 1 Daniel Hernandes (SP), WRL 9 (=)

2 Walter Santos (RS), WRL 16 (=)

3 Rafael Carlos da Silva ( SP)

4 David Moura (MT)



FEMALE

-48kg 1 Sarah Menezes (PI), WRL 7 (=)

2 Daniela Polzin (RJ), WRL 26 (+3)

3 Taciana Rezende (RS), WRL 32 (-1)

4 Cristiane Pereira (RJ)

-52kg 1 Érika Miranda (MG), WRL 11 (-1)

2 Andressa Fernandes (SP), WRL 31 (+6)

3 Raquel Lopes (RJ), WRL 35 (-2)

-57kg 1 Rafaela Lopes (RJ), WRL 10 (=)

2 Josiane Falco (SP), WRL 52 (=)

3 Katherine Campos (RJ)

-63kg 1 Mariana Silva (SP), WRL 21 (+16)

2 Laisa Santana (RJ)

3 Danielli Yuri (SP), WRL 41 (=)

4 Camila Minakawa (SP), WRL 56 (-1)

-70kg 1 Glaucia Lima (SP/PB)

2 Maria Portela (SP), WRL 25 (+2)

3 Juliana Tonasse (RJ)

4 Helena Romanelli (RS)

-78kg 1 Mayra Aguiar (RS), WRL 12 (+3)

2 Steffani Luppetti (SP)

+78kg 1 Maria Suellen Althaman (SP), WRL 17 (+12)

2 Aline Puglia (SP)

3 Rochele Jesus Nunes (RS), WRL 49 (=)