After two years of suspension for doping, Rafaela Silva returned to make history in judo this Saturday morning (8), at the World Cup in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). The first judoka in the country to win a gold medal in the competition, nine years ago, the carioca was crowned two-time champion in the 57-kilogram category by defeating Japanese Haruka Funakubo by waza-ari. Who also shone today (8) was the 24-year-old gaucho Daniel Cargnin, who won the bronze in the 73 kg, his first medal in worlds, after beating the Italian Manuel Lombardo by ippon.
They were the first two podiums of the Brazil at the World Cup, after three days of competition. The disputes continue until next Thursday (13), with Live broadcast on the World Cup Olympic Channel website. The qualifiers for individual disputes start at 2:00 am (Brasilia time) and at 9:00 am the classifieds fight for medals. The schedule is detailed at the end of the text.
THE TITLE COUP 🥇🥋
The giant Rafaela Silva is a two-time world judo champion!
Anyone who doesn’t get goosebumps with this here is crazy, damn it 🥵 pic.twitter.com/UbvH4JV2ae
— Team Brazil (@timebrasil) October 8, 2022
Rafaela was collecting victories until advancing to the final. In her debut, she beat host Nilufar Ermaganbetova by ippon. Then, with another ippon, Rafaela defined the fight against Bulgarian Ivelina Ilieva, after a draw due to penalties in normal time. In the quarterfinals, the Brazilian beat Ukrainian Daria Bilodid – two-time world champion and bronze at the Tokyo Games in the 48kg. Then, in the semifinal, Rafaela took 40 seconds to overcome Israel’s Timna Nelson-Levy.
In the fight for the gold medal, against Japan’s Funakubo, Rafaela scored the decisive waza-ri, 30 seconds from the end, which earned her the second championship. In addition to the two golds in world championships in the individual dispute – the first in 2013 – the Brazilian adds two other medals: silver (2011) and bronze (2019).
WHAT AN UNDESIRABLE FEELING IT IS TO HEAR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM 🇧🇷 IN TASHKENT!!!!@Rafaelasilvaa you are giant!!!!!#JudoWorlds #BrasilJudo pic.twitter.com/6eTBJk3AqB
— CBJ (@JudoCBJ) October 8, 2022
Daniel Cargnin’s bronze in the 73kg
The gaucho, debuting as a lightweight at the Worlds, won his first fight by ippon against the Romanian Alexandre Racu. Then he defeated, also by ippon, the Russian Rustam Orujov, Olympic vice-champion. In the third round, the Brazilian scored more ippon, getting the better of the German Alexander Glaber.
However, in the quarterfinals, Cagnin was surpassed by the Israeli Tohar Butbul, currently number five in the world. The Brazilian returned to the repechage, and shone as he triumphed over the current world champion, Georgian Lasha Shavdatuashvili, securing a spot in the fight for bronze. In the fight for the medal, Cargnin secured the podium when he landed an ippon against the Italian Lombardo.
Can Olympic bronze medalist @dadscargnin of Brazil take his first senior world medal today? 🇺🇸
Follow the action at https://t.co/Gupw1ahon6#Judo #JudoWorlds #Champion #WorldChampion #WorldChampionships #Tashkent #judoka #win #sport @JudoCBJ pic.twitter.com/LsOyXUfWtz
— Judo (@Judo) October 8, 2022
Other results
Newcomer in worlds, Jéssica Lima (57kg) said goodbye to the competition today. She started well, winning her first fight against the Mongolian Ichinkhorloo Munkhtsedev, and then she triumphed again: she got the better of the Dominican Ana Rosa, with two lightning waza-ari. But in the round of 16, she was surpassed by Japanese Kunakubuko, who would later be defeated by Brazilian Rafael Silva in the gold dispute.
Schedule
Sunday (09) – Welterweight (63kg and 81kg) – 2h
Women’s – Seed Ketleyn Quadros awaits the result of Jing Tang (CHN) x Ariela Sanchez (DOM) and, in the men’s, Guilherme Schimidt – also seed – fights against the winner of Antonio Esposito (ITA) x Erdenebayar Batzaya ( MGL).
Monday (10) – average weight (70kg and 90kg) – 2h
Women’s – Maria Portela debuts in the second round against Anastassiya Mayakova, from Kazakhstan, and Luana Carvalho faces Frenchwoman Marie-Ève Gahié.
Men’s – Rafael Macedo awaits the result of Klen Kaljulaid (EST) x Erlan Sherov (KGZ), while Marcelo Gomes debuts against the winner of Alexis Mathieu (FRA) x Abderahmane Diao (SEN).
Tuesday (11) – light heavyweight (78kg and 100kg) – 3h
Women – two-time world champion Mayra Aguiar debuts in the second round against Croatian Petrunjela Pavic. In the men’s, Rafael Buzacarini, also in the second round, fights the Kazekh Islam Bozbayev.
Wednesday (10/12) – Heavy weight (+78kg and +100kg) – 3h
Beatriz Souza, already in the round of 16, awaits the result of Larisa Ceric (BIH) x Shiyan Xu (CHN). In the men’s, Rafael Silva debuts in the second round against the winner of Marc Deschenes (CAN) x Ruixuan Li (CHN).
Thursday (13) – team competition – 1h30
Brazilian team debut against South Korea. If it qualifies, it will face Israel, Austria or Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals.