In the middle of ten pages dedicated to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa, Jiu-Jitsu found its place. Today, in Brazil’s O Globo newspaper, the sports section set aside some room for the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship that ended this Sunday in Long Beach, California.
The article by Carol Knoploch reports how Roger Gracie was the big standout at the competition upon conquering an unprecedented three absolute world titles, but steered attention to his cousin, Kyra, after two battles against Luanna Alzuguir, absolute champion in 2010.
Kyra on top with Luanna working the hooks. Photo: John Lamonica
“We had a close match (in the lightweight final) and I managed to neutralize what she does best, which is play from the bottom, attacking from the guard. I watched her matches from last year, studied what I had done so as not to make the same mistakes,” said Kyra. “I lost to her in the absolute and I had to get over that. This title is as special to me as my first one, from 2006, as I had to reconquer it.”
Kyra thus brings her lightweight title tally to three (2006, 08 and 10), with an absolute gold medal in 2008 and four silver medals. Now Luanna won the lightweight title in 2009 and her first absolute gold in 2010.
Right in the subtitle of the article, O Globo calls the closing out of brackets an “agreement between friends.”