Team Gold for Japanese juniors at Superdesafio in Brazil

The Mother's Day celebrations for the international juniors were on the mat of the CBJ Training Center in Lauro de Freitas, and ended with Japan with gold at the Superdesafio, International Cup Selections, a team event for international juniors.

The gold of the competition was to the Japan team that defeated Russia by 4-3 in a duel just set in the last fight. Heavy weight Genta Tanaka defeated Ruslan Shakhbazov by ippon when the confrontation was tied at 3-3, ensuring the title for Japan.

The Brazilian selection defeated Great Britain by 7-0 for the bronze bout the medal.

The second bronze went to the selection of Georgia, who beat Italy 5-2.

The Brazilian team lost to Russia in the quarter-finals, but reacted well and won the bronze medal unbeaten winning seven fights by ippon.

"The ultimate goal is to reach well in Tokyo 2020. I saw that all went wanting, with a lot of guts and this should be the spirit forever. The level of the teams was very balanced. We lost to Russia 4-3 as well as the Japan had no easy life in the final and won 4 to 3. There is to enhance the brass of Brazil, "commented Paulo Wanderley Teixeira, president of the CBJ, who accompanied the event in the gym.

Light weight Kainan Pires pinned Peter Miles in the first match and put Brazil ahead. Then Daniel Cargnin (66kg) overbalanced Neil MacDonald with a technique of ashi-waza (technique legs) and expanded Brazil's advantage with another ippon.

"Yesterday I was all day thinking about my defeat to Russian and it was my mother who endured my bad mood and gave me support when I needed" said Cargnin, dedicating the victory to his mother, Ana Rita, which is birthday on Sunday. "She and my coaches made me believe in myself. Today I came to win ippon and got it. "

The third Brazilian Day ippon came with Lincoln Neves against Daniel Powell. Rafael Macedo (81kg) was ruthless and finished his match in 15 seconds against Oscar Di Domenico, guaranteeing the fourth Brazilian point and the bronze medal of the tournament. Enrique Francini (90kg), Leonardo Gonçalves (100kg) and Joao Cesarino (+ 100kg) maintained the high yield team in recent fights and closed the score at 7-0 to Brazil.

"On Saturday  we seek to correct the mistakes made against Russia and improve the self-esteem of them so they believed. We had many ippons, but that does not mean that the fighting were easy. Were tough fights, but our athletes had the peace of mind to do what they do best, "said Douglas Vieira, coach of the Brazilian team.

The teams will remain in Lauro de Freitas and meet the other 40 Brazilian judokas for field training in the Bahian city until next Tuesday, 10.