Tiago Camilo at the World Cup in Brazil in 2008
Judoka Tiago Camilo announced this week, in an interview with the newspaper O Globo, that he will change categories in 2009, aiming for the London Olympic Games. The São Paulo native intends to leave the welterweight division (up to 81kg) and join the middleweight category (up to 90kg), in pursuit of his dream of an Olympic gold medal. Tiago won the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, in the lightweight category (up to 73kg), last year he was world champion and a bronze medalist at the Beijing Olympics, in the welterweight category. In this new challenge, the black belt seeks to be the first judoka to medal in three different categories.
“No judoka in the world has medaled in three different categories. I want to make a mark on the world, not just Brazil. And it has to be a well-trodden and special path. It’s what will make me wake up every day and follow the path”, said the fighter.
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