Photo: Carlos Ozório.
One of the Alliance aces to stick his neck out at last Saturday’s Brazilian No-Gi Nationals, Antonio Peinado secured another gold medal for his collection.
“Winning a CBJJ title is just awesome! It’s a newer championship, but it’s getting bigger every year and it will just get more tradition about it,” he told GRACIEMAG.com.
Peinado had two matches ahead of him, but only needed to enter one, as absolute champion Victor Costa opted not to fight.
“I didn’t do the final, due to Victor deciding to save himself for the absolute decider. Some people were confused because we didn’t shut out the division, if just because we’re from different teams. It was Victor’s decision and I respect it. He spoke with me and it was cool,” he remarked.
The black belt still intends to compete at this year’s World Cup, an event held in São Paulo in December. However, he has already begun planning for 2011.
“2010 wasn’t a bad year for me. I learned a lot. I just made it to two years as a black belt and I came really close in a number of competitions. I was European runner-up, took third at weight and open weight at the Pan, third at the Brazilian Nationals and the Worlds. I’ve been competing at ultraheavyweight, but what I want is to compete at superheavyweight. I’m heading full steam into that division, focused and better. I feel 2011 will be special, a year of conquests,” he says in closing.