Brazilian judo climbed the podium three times this Saturday (27), the last day of competition at the Austrian Grand Prix, which guarantees winners 700 points in the world ranking – the list serves as a parameter in the Olympic race for a place in the Paris 2024 Games. Light heavyweight Leonardo Gonçalves, 27 years old, secured the gold medal by defeating the German Louis Mai by ippon in the 100 kg final. He also had a bronze double with Marcelo Gomes (90kg) and Giovanna Santos (+ 78kg). From all angles, Léo’s ipponzaço in the Austrian GP final 💥 And how cool to have our idol @correaluciano in this decision too! On the other side, but always #brasiljudo 💪🏽🎥: @timebrasil pic.twitter.com/WCpL71HXbI — CBJ (@JudoCBJ) May 27, 2023 To reach the final against the German Louis Mai – coached by Luciano Correa, world champion for Brazil – Léo Gonçalves won another four fights by ippon. In his debut he beat Kazakh Bekarys Saduakas, and then overcame Czech Martin Bezdek in the round of 16 and Danish Mathias Madsen in the quarter-finals. In the semifinal, the Brazilian triumphed after a lightning ippon at 19 seconds into the fight against the British Rhys Thompson. The gold in Austria was the second for the Brazilian in the season: the first was a bronze, in Tel Aviv (Israel). IT’S BRONZEEEEEEEEE 🥉It’s by Marcelo Gomes (90kg) at the Austrian Grand Prix 🇦🇹 In victory with Ippon over Jamal Petgrave 🇬🇧, the Brazilian Judoka guarantees the first medal for 🇧🇷 in the competition.Congratulations, Marcelo! 👏👏👏📸:@JudoCBJ pic.twitter.com/9w6M6HH9RS — Team Brasil (@timebrasil) May 27, 2023 In the dispute for the bronze in the 90 kg, Marcelo Gomes defeated the British Jamal Petgrave by ippon. It was the judoka’s best result on the world circuit, since seventh place at the Tashkent World Championship, last year. In the women’s competition over 78 kg. Giovana Santos, also known as Gigi, overcame Bosnian Larissa Ceric in the final. In the first minute of the fight, Gigi landed a waza-ari on her opponent, and then managed the advantage until the end of the fight. After winning her first medal on the world circuit, the 22-year-old Brazilian, currently 65th in the world ranking, should rise to the top 50 group. 🇦🇹Brazilian judoka beats Larisa Ceric🇧🇦 with Waza-Ari and wins a bronze medal for the 🇧🇷Congratulations, Gigi 🤩 pic.twitter.com/nzLBXmz1A4 — Team Brasil (@timebrasil) May 27, 2023 Watching Paris 2024 As Grand Prix stages are considered intermediate competitions on the International Judo Federation (IJF) circuit. They are in fourth place in the hierarchy, behind the Worlds, World Masters and Grand Slam. Brazil is looking for places in each of the 14 individual categories, in addition to the team tournament. The best possible position in the world ranking serves as a reference for the distribution of vacancies for Paris 2024 by the IJF. The totaling of points in the world ranking began in July 2022 and will only end in June of next year. The modality will bring together 372 athletes in Paris (equally divided between men and women). The top 17 in the category ranking secure a place in Paris 2024 (with a limit of one judoka per country). From the 18th place in the ranking, vacancies will be distributed by continent: Americas (21 vacancies), Africa (24), Europe (25), Asia (20) and Oceania (10).
Agência Brasil
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