Mario Sabino loses selective and puts an end to his national team career

Mario Sabino, who competed in the last two Olympics, no longer has a chance to compete in Beijing-2008. The judoka, who works in the light heavyweight category (up to 100 kg), lost, this Saturday, the national selection, held in Uberlândia (MG), in a duel with Leonardo Leite.

All three fights between the judokas were very truncated and always decided on the “golden score”. Sabino, 35 years old, only won the second. The third was for the judges' decision, which confirmed Leite's triumph and Sabino's retirement from the national team.

“I had already had this plan since the Athens Olympics and I knew that this would be my last selection process”, said the judoka, who is also a military police officer, in an interview with the broadcaster “Sportv”.

“It's a difficult moment, but you can't fight against the clock and, against the kids, I'm starting to feel it a lot”, explained Sabino, who didn't reach the podium in any of the Olympics he competed in and had the best result in his career: bronze in the Osaka World Cup in 2003.

Qualified for the Olympic process, Leonardo Leite will have a thankless mission. His opponent in the fight for a place in Beijing will be Luciano Corrêa, who has just become world champion. The decision will be based on the performance of both athletes in international tournaments in 2008.

This Saturday's selection defined four more names to compete in the Olympic process. They are Denílson Lourenço (up to 60 kg), Victor Penalber (up to 73 kg), Flávio Canto (up to 81 kg) and Walter Santos (over 100 kg).

Eduardo Santos beat Hugo Pessanha in the category selection (90 kg), but both will compete for qualification for Beijing, as the starting place in the selection was vacant. In the up to 66 kg category, Leandro Cunha was the winner, but will remain as a reserve for the team, as João Derly, world and Pan champion, has already qualified for the 2008 Games.

In the women's category, Sarah Menezes (up to 48 kg), Ketleyn Quadros (up to 57 kg), Vânia Ishii (up to 63 kg), Maria Portela (up to 70 kg), Claudirene Cesar (up to 78 kg) qualified to compete for a place in the Olympics. ) and Aline Puglia (over 78 kg). Andressa Fernandes was the winner of the under-52 kg category, but she will be a reserve, as Érika Miranda had already guaranteed her place in Beijing due to having been runner-up in the Pan and fifth in the World Championship.

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