A truly international judo gathering is underway in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, where the Brazilian Judo Confederation (CBJ) is hosting more than 250 judoka from nine countries for a ten-day international training camp. The event, which began on 8th September and runs until 18th September, highlights the best of what the sport has to offer: excellence, exchange and friendship on and off the tatami.

Global Participation

Participating nations include Brazil, Azerbaijan, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, France, Chile, Germany, Canada and Croatia. Among the host nation’s line-up are some of Brazil’s most decorated judoka, such as Olympic and world championship medallists Rafaela Silva, Daniel Cargnin, Larissa Pimenta, Willian Lima, Rafael Macedo, Guilherme Schmidt and Leonardo Gonçalves. The Brazilian squad also includes young talents preparing for the junior world championships, to be held in Lima, Peru, in October.

Daniel Cargnin and Hidayat Heydarov

From the visiting delegations too, world-class champions are on the tatami, including Olympic gold medallists Hidayat Heydarov (-73kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (-100kg) from Azerbaijan, Patricia Sampaio (-78kg) from Portugal and Jessica Klimkait (-63kg) from Canada. National teams from Germany, Croatia and Switzerland are also in attendance, each featuring athletes with proven credentials on the IJF World Judo Tour.

Rafaela Silva

Training sessions, led by the CBJ technical team, take place in a purpose-built dojo within the event hotel. Athletes participate in two daily randori sessions alongside technical, physical and ne-waza practice, creating an intense and dynamic programme.

To ensure optimum performance, the camp also provides full recovery support, with physiotherapy and massage services available on site, reflecting the professional standards required for high-level competition.

For Brazil, the camp is a key step in preparing both its senior and junior judoka for the international calendar. The focus now turns to October, when the Brazilian team will compete at the Junior World Championships (5th to 8th October) and the Lima Grand Prix (11th to 13th October).

A Spirit of Solidarity

More than a training opportunity, the camp symbolises Brazil’s commitment to international solidarity and high-performance sport, uniting judoka from across the globe in the shared pursuit of excellence. With world and Olympic medallists working side by side with emerging talents, the camp demonstrates the unique power of judo to bring nations together through discipline, respect and friendship.

Jessica Klimkait

Source: Brazilian Judo Confederation

Photos: Anderson Neves / CBJ

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