Brazil closes Pan-American judo with 15 medals

(Photo: Anderson Neves/CBJ)

Rio de Janeiro – Brazil won seven more medals on the second day of the Pan-American and Oceania Judo Championships, this Saturday (27). There were two golds, with Beatriz Souza (+78kg) and Guilherme Schimidt (81kg), silver for Rafael Silva (+100kg), in addition to four bronzes, with Luana Carvalho (70kg), Rafael Macedo (90kg), Leonardo Gonçalves (100kg) and Rafael Buzacarini (100kg). Ellen Froner (70kg) and Gabriel Falcão (81kg) still came in fifth place. With this, the country closed the individual competitions of the competition with 15 medals.

Fourth in the world rankings in the under-81kg category, Guilherme Schmidt won four fights to win his third continental title. He got past Vanuatu’s Hugo Cumbo, Chile’s Jorge Perez and Jamaica’s Max Stewart, all by ippon, before overcoming Canadian François Gauthier Drapeu, also by ippon, in the final. It was a rematch in relation to last year’s Pan-American final, in which Drapeu became champion.

Heavy weight

Who was also the top seed in her category and won the title was Beatriz Souza, in the weight above 78kg. She made her direct debut in the quarterfinals, beating Chile’s Khaterine Quevedo (ippon) in just 28 seconds. Then, she surpassed Venezuelan Amarantha Urdañeta with the osaekomi technique. Finally, in the decision, she beat Canadian Ana Laura Isasi (ippon) in just 20 seconds. It was the Brazilian’s fifth Pan-American title, the fourth in a row.

Still in the heavyweight category, but this time for men, Rafael Silva took the silver medal in the over 100kg category. He also only needed to win two fights to reach the final: against Mexican Victor Ochoa (ippon with 32 seconds), Cuban Jonathan Loynaz (shidôs). In the fight for gold, Baby lost to fellow Cuban Andy Granda (shidôs), fourth in the world rankings.

Bronzes

Six Brazilians fought for bronze on the second day of the Pan-American and Oceania Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro. Among them, two athletes who are also called up for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Rafael Macedo took bronze in the under-90kg category after beating Canadian Louis Gagnon in the decisive contest (two waza-ari), after beating Peruvian Yuta Galerreta in his debut (shidôs) and falling in the semis to American John Jayne (ippon).

In the up to 100kg category, Olympian Leonardo Gonçalves beat Chilean Thomas Briceño (ippon) and lost to Canadian Kyle Reyes (ippon) in the semi-final before overcoming Cuban Liester Cardona (ippon) to take the bronze medal. At the same weight, Rafael Buzacarini beat Colombian Francisco Balanta (waza-ari), lost to Canadian Shady Elnahas (ippon) in the semi-final and beat Thomas Briceño (WO) in the fight for bronze.

Another category that had two fights for bronze was the women’s under 70kg category. Luana Carvalho and Ellen Froner debuted with victories in the round of 16, but fell in the quarterfinals and had to compete in the repechage and, later, the fight for bronze. Luana beat Jamaican Ebony Daley (shidôs) and Venezuelan Elvismar Rodriguez (waza-ari) to take the medal. Ellen beat Australian Saya Middleton (ippon), but lost to Ecuadorian Celinda Corozo (hansoku-make), placing fifth.

Finally, Gabriel Falcão also came fifth in his second competition in the under-81kg category. He was the only one to debut in the 16th round, but he needed just 12 seconds to beat the American Kell Berliner, with ippon. He then beat Dominican Medickson Cortorreal (five minutes of golden score) and Argentine Tomas Morales (shidôs) before falling to François Gauthier Drapeau in the semi. In the dispute for bronze, he lost to Puerto Rican Adrian Gandia (ippon), leaving him off the podium.

End of campaign

Adding up the eight medals – four golds, two silvers and two bronzes – he had on the first day, Brazil closed the Pan-American and Oceania Judo Championships with 15 medals won. In total, there were six golds, three silvers and six bronzes. The country easily led the medals table. In the last two editions of the competition, Brazil had obtained 15 medals in individual competitions – in addition to a gold in the mixed team event.

The Pan American and Oceanian Judo Championships will end this Sunday (28), with mixed team competition. There will be the presence of only three teams: Brazil, Argentina and Cuba. Brazil will have Rafaela Silva (57kg), Shirlen Nascimento (57kg), Ellen Froner (70kg), Luana Carvalho (70kg), Beatriz Souza (+78kg), Giovanna Santos (+78kg), Daniel Cargnin (73kg), Vinicius Ardina ( 73kg), Marcelo Gomes (90kg), Rafael Macedo (90kg), Rafael Silva (+100kg) and Juscelino Nascimento (+100kg).