Team Atos in Rio Claro. Photo: Personal archive
This weekend it’s the brown and black belts’ turn to enter the mix at the Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu championship at Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca Tennis Club. One of the academies performing best at those belts, Atos will be represented by some of its greatest stars.
“We’re taking a tough group. Ary Farias at brown, there’s Gui Mendes at black belt featherweight, Rafael Mendes and Eduardo Ramos at featherweight, there’s me at lightweight, Jonatas “Tagarela” Gurgel and Rodrigo Caporal,” reports Gilbert Durinho, who also explains some of the big-name absences.
“Guto Campos and Claudio Calasans will rest up so they can to tear into the Worlds!”
Durinho against Caloquinha in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Luca Atalla
The competition routine in the team is at a high. Rafa Mendes, for example, fought at the European Championship, at the Brazilian World Pro trials and at the main event in Abu Dhabi. The pace is wearying, but controlled.
“We train in periods and our focus is the Worlds, but we enter all the competitions there are. It’s wears on you and even Rafa and I came down with a nasty flu recently, which kept us out of the SP Cup. But we decided to compete at the Brazilian Nationals to sharpen up our sword for the Worlds! Our physical conditioning coach Tiago Mendes gets us in great shape and makes sure we rest to,” says Durinho.
The team is growing. Besides Jonatas Tagarela and Ary Farias, who now represent the academy in Rio Claro, the team Orient, in the city of Niteroi, has also joined forces with Atos. Professor Ramon Lemos comments:
“I started training at five years of age at Oriente, in Niteroi, a really traditional team. That was where I had my start in Jiu-Jitsu and now Oriente is part of Atos. It’s an academy with a great tradition in Jiu-Jitsu and has much to add to us. We’re went with a big bunch of kids to the Brazilian Nationals and we took second in the juvenile division,” he says.
To keep up to date on all the goings-on at the Brazilian Nationals, stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com.