Training camp in Brazil offers foreign judoka sun and Rio

Many athletes are at the OTC in Austria this week, but for the athletes who prefer the sun over snow, they are present in Pindamonhangaba where until 16 January there is an international training camp where the Brazilians host many pan American teams as well as some European teams like Russia and Azerbaijan. The small city in the south of Rio de Janeiro offers a good basis for some of the world’s best athletes to combine the summer of Brazil with severe training sessions.

The Brazilian team is obviously present in full force with about 60 athletes, including the potential 14 Olympians and U23 and junior generation. The youngster can get the chance to train with the older generation and with some of the top athletes from abroad such as the full squad of Azerbaijan with top 10 athletes Orkhan Safarov, Rustam Orujov and Elmar Gasimov. The team is coached by Peter Seisenbacher.

The Russian team contains names like Khasan Khalmurzaev and Renat Saidov who are in the World ranking to 10 as well as reigning Olympic Champions Galstyan and Isaev, added with Musa Mogushkov, Kamal Khan-Magomedov, Sirazhudin Magomedov, Kirill Voprosov and Adlan Bisultanov, coached by Vitaly Makarov.

The strong Brazilian women can train with Kondratieva, Zabludina, Valkova and Surakatova. Irina, Gazieva, Kacharovskaya and heavyweight Chibisova complete the women’s team of Jean Pierre Gibert.

The Russian will fly directly after their sparring session with president Putin. After the Training camp the teams will move to the Grand Prix of Havana in Cuba, mid January.