Brazil fits in talents but potential medallist are getting older

Brazil is a strong judo nation and it’s sending a full 18-person team to Baku. The team has a mix of old and new but mainly older players. Good to see though that also some youngsters fit in the team this time, likely not yet for the medals.

The male team in particular has a lot of old guards like Phelipe Pelim (28) and Eric Takabatake (27) who on a good day could medal at the World’s. Two of its players, Charles Chibana (28) and Victor Penalber (28) have for the longest time seemed to be on the cusp of breaking through and winning a major title. They certainly have the throwing talent. Will it happen in Baku? Brazil’s best bets for the male team, ironically, are its oldest players on the team: Rafael Silva and David Moura, who are both 31 and both world silver medallists.

Brazil’s female team has quite a few old guards as well. For World silver medallist Erika Miranda, this may be her last hurrah. At 31, age is catching up with her. The same can be said for Maria Portela (30) and Maria Suelen Altheman (30). The team’s best prospects are its World and Olympic champion Rafaela Silva and double World Champion Mayra Aguiar. Silva, though relatively young at 26, has a world of experience with 260 international fights under her belt. She had a bit of a rocky start after winning gold at Rio 2016 but recently won the 2018 Budapest Grand Prix so she’s going into the World’s on a good footing. Aguiar, 27, another very experienced fighter with over 200 international fights under her belt, is the reigning World Champion but she has not won any IJF World Tour gold in the past year. Maybe she will be inspired by the prospect of the third world title though. We shall see soon.

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