Together with Diego Santos, the Brazilian National Judo Team Will Fight in Tashkent Grand Prix

The delegation that will represent Brazil in Grand Prix has just arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Most athletes came directly from Astana, where a GP was held over the weekend. In Kazakhstan, Nathália Brigida (48kg) won the silver medal while Eleudis Valentine (52kg) the bronze one. Besides these two, the Brazilian Team is composed of Gabriela Chibana (48kg), Mariana Silva (63kg), Katherine Campos (63kg), Nadia Merli (70kg), Maria Portela (70kg), Allan Kuwabara (60kg) and Leandro Guilheiro (73kg) .

The only difference regarding the team that competed in Kazakhstan is the replacement of Phelipe Pelim (60kg) with Diego Santos (60kg). The latter left Brazil on Sunday and arrived in the Asian country on Tuesday. Last year, the athlete from Sogipa won bronze in this competition.

"I'm very confident. It will be a tough competition, with athletes who are very well ranked, but I had a good preparation and I want to keep my good results in competitions, "said Diego Santos, who has this year won the gold at Santiago Pan American Open and the bronze at Oberwart European Open. The coach Mario Sabino will be responsible for team together with Hans Peter Strubreiter, who is the massage therapist.

The draw-in takes place this Wednesday at 6 o'clock in the morning at the headquarters of the Judo Federation of Uzbekistan. On Thursday the 48kg, 52kg, 57kg, 60kg and 66kg categories will compete. On Friday, the athletes who weigh 63kg, 70kg, 73kg and 81kg will step on tatamis. And the competition ends on Saturday with the 78kg, +78kg, 90kg, 100kg and +100kg category. The qualifiers begin at 2 am whereas the final block at 9 am, Brasília time zone.

Besides the bronze won by Diego Santos, Brazil won seven medals in Tashkent 2013 Grand Prix: gold with Ketleyn Quadros (57kg), Mariana Barros (63kg) and Barbara Timo (70kg); silver with Alex Pombo (73kg) and Nadia Merli (70kg) and bronze with Leandro Cunha (66kg) and David Moura (100kg +).