The Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Visually Impaired (CBDV) have announced the 30 judoka, blind footballers and goalball players that will represent their country at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games from 24 August.

They join a team of 250 athletes across sports who will try to retain Brazil’s place in the top 10 of the medals table.

“We are sending to Japan the best we have in the three disciplines. We are fully able to bring medals in all of them and maintain the tradition of being a winning Confederation in the most anticipated event of all”, CBDV president José Antônio Freire said.

From the list of 30 names, nine will compete at a Paralympics for the first time. The most experienced is judoka Antônio Tenório, with six Paralympic Games to date. Tenorio is also the most decorated judoka in history, with six medals (four golds, one silver and one bronze).

Overall the delegation for all three sports have 34 medals between them – 16 amongst blind footballers, 10 for judo and eight in goalball.

Altogether, the delegation will embark with 34 Paralympic medals behind them to date: 16 by soccer players of 5, ten by judo and eight by goalball.

Football 5-a-side

Goalkeepers

Luan De Lacerda Gonçalves
Participation: Rio 2016
Medals: One gold

Matheus Costa Bumussa

Outfield

Cássio Lopes Dos Reis
Participation: Rio 2016 and London 2012
Medals: Two gold

Damião Robson De Souza Ramos
Participation: Rio 2016, Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004
Medals: Three gold

Gledson Da Paixão Barros
Participation: London 2012
Medals: One gold

Jardiel Vieira Soares

Ricardo Steinmetz Alves
Participation: Rio 2016, London 2012, Beijing 2008
Medals: Three gold

Tiago Da Silva
Participation: Rio 2016
Medals: One gold

Jeferson Da Conceição Gonçalves
Participation: Rio 2016, London 2012 and Beijing 2008
Medals: Three gold

Raimundo Nonato Alves Mendes
Participation: Rio 2016 and London 2012
Medals: Two gold

Coach Fábio Vasconcelos said:

“It will be a different Paralympics, as we spent almost two years without competition. It is an experienced group, the vast majority went to one or two Paralympics, at least. We have a mix of people who are already transitioning from the youth teams, like the Tiago Paraná and Jardiel, with a guy like Damião, who I know can solve it when he needs it and is very well physically, as well as Jefinho, Ricardinho, Guegueu, who is perhaps in his best phase. for another medal, for sure.”

Goalball – women

Ana Carolina Ruas Custódio
Participation: Rio 2016, London 2012, Beijing 2008, Athens 2004

Jéssica Gomes Victorino

Kátia Aparecida Ferreira Silva

Victoria Amorim Do Nascimento
Participation: Rio 2016

Ana Gabrielly Brito Assunção

Moniza Aparecida De Lima

Dailton Nascimento, team coach, said:

“We’ve been working on the criteria for choosing this team for Tokyo since 2017. The base comes from the last World Championships, Lima 2019 Parapan American Games and other international tournaments. We were also concerned about mixing young athletes with those who have already participated in the Paralympic Games. of course, taking into account the numbers presented in the individual performance of each one, such as attack power and accuracy, defensive actions, tactical contextualisation, physical conditioning, focus and others. So, we believe that the choices were within what we always planned.”

Goalball – men

Alex Melo De Souza
Participation: Rio 2016
Medals: One bronze

Emerson Ernesto Da Silva

Josemarcio Da Silva Souza
Participation: Rio 2016
Medals: One bronze

Leomon Moreno Da Silva
Participation: Rio 2016 and London 2012
Medals: One silver and one bronze

José Roberto Ferreira
Participation: Rio 2016 and London 2012
Medals: One silver and one bronze

Romário Diego Marques
Participation: Rio 2016, London 2012 and Beijing 2008
Medals: One silver and one bronze

“Our group is very homogeneous, and the criteria for selecting the six was international experience. A main characteristic of our athletes is the harmony between everyone, it is a group that is very focused on seeking the gold medal. The team is ready to go. to compete in this competition.” – Alessandro Tosim, Coach.

Judo

Alana Martins Maldonado (women’s up to 70 kg)
Participation: Rio 2016
Medals: One silver

Antônio Tenório Da Silva (men’s up to 100 kg)
Participation: Rio 2016, London 2012, Beijing 2008, Athens 2004, Sydney 2000 and Atlanta 1996
Medals: Four gold, one silver and one bronze

Arthur Cavalcanti Da Silva (men’s up to 90 kg)
Participation: Rio 2016 and London 2012

Harlley Damião Pereira Arruda (men’s up to 81 kg)
Participations: Rio 2016 and London 2012

Lúcia Da Silva Teixeira Araújo (women’s up to 57 kg)
Participation: Rio 2016, London 2012 and Beijing 2008
Medals: Two silver

Meg Rodrigues Vitorino Emmerich (women’s up to 70 kg)

Thiego Marques Da Silva (men’s up to 60 kg)

Wilians Silva De Araújo (men’s over 100 kg)
Participation: Rio 2016 and London 2012
Medals: One silver

Jaime Bragança, Brazilian judo coach, said:

“We managed to classify eight weight categories. The Paralympic judo world is increasingly competitive and athletes with great potential were left out. We have judo players with great experience, like Tenório, Alana and Lúcia, who ended up as seeded in their categories. also Wilians, Arthur and Harlley, who are preparing for great results. Finally, from this younger crop, Thiego will make his first participation in Paralympics and has great potential.”

As the Brazilians enter the final stretch towards the Paralympic Games, the blind football and goalball teams will gather at the Brazilian Paralympic Training Centre for the eighth and last phase of training before boarding to Hamamatsu for a staging camp.