Brazil beats Cuba twice 4-1
During the semi-final for mixed teams of the Pan American and Oceania Judo Championships 2024, Brazil has already given an aperitif and had a dominant performance against Cuba. Most of the participating judokas were not in the individual competitions. This, however, did not mean the lack of quality of Brazilian athletes: in five fights, there were four victories and only one defeat.
Leonardo Gonçalves (+90kg), who had competed individually among Brazilians, opened the clashes with a victory by immobilization over Jonathan Loynaz – from a category above. Shirlen Nascimento (57kg) quickly resolved the fight against Aleanny Carbonell Julian, with a waza-ari in seven seconds and the pin in 24 seconds. Michael Marcelino (73kg) also achieved the waza-ari and ippon by pin against Orlando Polanco.
Brazil’s only defeat came in the fourth fight, with Ellen Froner (70kg), another athlete present in the individual competition. Cuban Maylin Del Toro Carvajal got the ippon. Finally, Marcelo Gomes (90kg) took Naysdel Cardoso and won by ippon. After Brazil’s 4-1 victory, Argentina’s WO protocol took place, with the Brazilians and Cubans victorious without fighting.
In the finals, Brazil once again came up short against Cuba, although they turned the score around 4-1. Ellen Froner (70kg) lost the first fight, again against Maylin Del Toro Carvajal, by immobilization. The draw came with Marcelo Gomes (90kg), who achieved an osaekomi against Naysdel Cardoso and the ippon by immobilization.
The best came in the last three fights. Beatriz Souza (+70kg) competed in the finals and was not aware of Lianet Cardona, one category below. The São Paulo native got the ippon by pinning after less than a minute. Leonardo Gonçalves (+90kg) beat Jonathan Loynaz again, a category above, and with an armbar in 30 seconds. Finally, gold confirmed itself with Rafaela Silva (57kg). The Rio native performed a waza-ari on Aleanny Carbonell Julian after ten seconds and then forced an ippon by immobilization, using a choke technique.
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