Vella and the marathon for the world title

By Guilherme Cruz

Report by Samira Bomfim, directly from California

Photo Eduardo Ferreira

If in the open class Gabriel Vella left in the semifinal, the fightder of the Alliance got up at the highest place of the podium between the super heavy. "It was without words, I haven’t got a point. Sunday was a good day. Saturday I made a fight in the weight, today three more in weight and four in open class, a real marathon... Since I came back, I’d already been black belt champion in 2002 and, last year, I was World Champion without kimono and vice in open class", celebrates Vella, who helped the Alliance to bill the fourth title in the teams.

"It's an honor to be with so many champions, each one with a different game. We have a highly trained teacher to train champions, not only those of today but those from the past too. He was also champion, as Jacaré, Alexandre Paiva... This is the result, they work hard for this", said the champion, revealing the secret of the success of the team. "Our difference is to have this cast training together, spirit of comradeship. When one is dispirited, one raises the other’s head. The training can be individual, but, in the days, we have much support".

Despite the show in the weight, Vella had problems on Saturday, when the fought the open class. "It's been two years that I'm back, competing all tournaments and achieving podium and medal in all, only that, in the professional level that it’s, many times the details and interpretations of the judges let us out of a gold medal... But I never low my head and always kept training", says the fighter, who had trouble with the kimono that he would use in the World Cup.

"Saturday I had a bad day, because unpleasant things happened. The guy didn’t approve the competition kimono that I was fighting, which had been approved, so that I fought. However, when it dried, it was a little harder, then, by a millimeter, it didn’t pass. I was upset, because I depend of support, sponsorship", regrets the fighter, who also got hurt in the last fight. "My finger broke in the other fight, it was a bad day...", ended the champion.