Gabi at 2010 Worlds. Photo: Luca Atalla
Gabrielle Garcia made her victorious black belt debut this weekend, at the National Cup in São Paulo.
“I got the submission in two matches on Saturday and fought for the belt on Sunday. I managed to beat Talita “Treta” from Ryan Gracie and now I have the three World League belts, from the SP Cup, National Cup and the World Cup,” the Alliance black belt sums up.
Gabi has had a perfect year in competition Jiu-Jitsu. The athlete tells how she found the path to the gold, but the hardest part is staying at the top.
“Thank God this year I won at weight and absolute at the Pan, Brazilian Nationals and Worlds, as well as the World Pro qualifiers and later in Abu Dhabi. The year has been great, and I feel that’s the fruit of my training. I always try to evolve more and I went on to have different priorities. I picked up the pace in physical conditioning with Edson Ramalho, as well as in training with Fabio Gurgel. I’m really happy,” she comments.
“I’ve made it to the top before and was unable to keep it up. That was the result of my training. I think now I’ve discovered the way to keep it up: through training and focus. Each victory serves as stimulus to keep it up because I know all the girls want my titles and to beat me. But yesterday’s victories are now part of the past. I want to make history in the female division, to be considered one of the best, so I have to keep evolving. If I starting thinking things are fine, then the house comes down. Fabio trains us regardless of the result, and that helps,” she adds.
Gabi at National Cup. Photo: Ivan Trindade
And anyone thinking that the stalwart competitor has reached a stopping point, after so many wins, they are sorely mistaken. There’s much more of Gabi to come in 2010.
“We’re going to take a strong team to the Brazilian Team Nationals. I’ll do some seminars in the United States in October and November with Luanna Alzuguir and then head to Ecuador, so I’ll be at the No-Gi Pan and Worlds in the USA. I’m not going to hide behind these wins. I’m going to stay in the mix, I’m not running from any fight,” she warns.