LGBT+ representation in Judo? We have it!

The competitions involved athletes aged 29 to 80, organized into weight categories and age groups, following rules adapted to the needs of veterans. The competition was more than just a contest; according to the International Judo Federation (IJF), it was a sports and social festival that promoted well-being and fellowship among judokas.

One of the new features this year was the implementation of the Pre-Participation Sports Assessment Protocol, which requires a series of laboratory, imaging and cardiology tests to ensure the fitness of judokas. Introduced by the CBJ last year, the protocol reinforced the commitment to the health and safety of participants, most of whom are not professional athletes, but rather passionate about judo as a lifestyle.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining the element of surprise. “We represent the state of São Paulo, which has a strong tradition in judo, and, based on the campaign we developed in the last competitions, we knew that our opponents from other states would be studying our previous fights. The tactical change was essential to surprise our opponents.”

Unfortunately, neither of them won a medal. “I fought well, but it didn’t work out,” Garcia said. But they are already preparing for the next one: the Copa Rio and Copa Paraná are coming up, both in September!