Excellent results for the Powerade athletics team

Two champions at NCu23 and eight medals.

Sao-Paulo_ The national championships in athletics for the age group under 23 years were held over the weekend at the Centro Olímpico in São Paulo. Two Powerade-team athletes were crowned champion: Bruna Jessica Oliveira Farias won the one hundred meters dash and Karen Maria Cerqueira Lopes who was the best all-round athlete in the heptathlon. Both will represent Brazil in the South American Championships in two weeks time to be held in Uruguay. The two champions recorded personal records (PB’s) as well. In total Powerade athletes scored four PB’s and bagged eight medals.

(c) cbat

On Saturday, the first Powerade medal in this CBAT organized championships, was won by Gabriel Oliveira Constantino. He took bronze position with his first sub fourteen second race in his career. Still a junior this was a big step in the season were he was the runner up in the junior championships (under 20) and was semi finalist in the World Junior Championships in Eugene (USA). A day later he improved also over the two meters clocking 21”09 to qualify for the final. Here he could not repeat his relaxed run from the heats and was ranked fifth.

Also on the first day, Dandadeua Asteria de Souza Brites da Silva could not qualify for the 400m finals. Bothered with a sore hamstring she just missed the cut for finals with a fourth place and ninth time overall. On the second day she proved to be a tough competitor to qualify for the 400 meter hurdles. The last three hurdles proved to be real obstacles in her way to glory and she finished just outside the podium.

Most successful athlete for Powerade this weekend was Bruna. Saturday she qualified with ease for the 100 meters final. In the final she showed which progress she made this year and bettered her personal best to 11”50 seconds. Later the same day she was a big factor in the relay. Running the back straight really fast she showed the way and took the lead, scoring a gold medal for the Rio federation. On Sunday Bruna showed her speed endurance and picked up a second medal now in the 200meters. Finishing strong on the home straight she took her third medal: silver this time.

The combined eventers had two long and hot days at the national Olymic Training Center. In the heptathlon Karen Lopes showed good form in the first event opening with a life time best: 14.24sec. She took this as a good omen and picked up more points in all following three events on Saturday than before. On Sunday her opening jump in the long jump completion proved to be a season best and she increased here lead to comfortable margin knowing her nearest rivals were not good in her favorite event: javelin.

Kerinde Hilario de Souza Brites da Silva was in contention with overnight leader Yuri da Silva and was close to his best marks in four out of five events on the first day. Sunday started not as good for him. He hit two hurdles hard and lost time and thus valuable points as well. Discus went not as he hoped for but just than Kerinde managed to turne things around by setting a personal best in the pole vault. With just a few athletes left in this tough event he improved his score with senior implements once again this year and took a bronze medal as a reward.

 

(c) GL gerard lenting 2014

Coach Gerard Lenting was very pleased with the result. “We really had peak performances for the big part of the team. It was a setback for Danda with a hamstring strain which prevented her to qualify as well for the South American (championships). The combined eventers showed that they are on the right track. Gabriel was very good underway in the high hurdles but needs to cope with the pressure rivals put on him in the end of the race. He is an athlete with an eye on the future in the speed events”. The Dutchman was full of praise for Bruna Farias. “She showed a bit of her potential this competition but there is more to come when I see what see can do in training. Setting a personal best in the final and getting the gold in the show event 100 meters is always nice” . With the Tropheu Brasil still to come the season is not over for Powerade athletics, Lenting concluded.

Powerade team took in total eight (8) medals home to Rio de Janeiro.
Four (4) gold medals: Bruna (100), Karen(Hep), Bruna (4x100) Kelvin (4x400)
Two (2) silver medals: Bruna (200) Danda (4x400)
Two bronze (2)medals Kerinde (Dec) Gabriel (110m hurdles)

Powerade athletes recorded six Personal Bests for:
Bruna 11”50 (100), Karen 14.24 (100mH) 5106 points. (Hep)
Gabriel 13.98 (110mH)
Kerinde 4.00 (PV) 6643 Point (Dec)

Powerade athletes marked thirteenSeason Bests for:
Bruna 100, Karen 100mH/long jump/high jump/heptathlon.
Gabriel 110mH
Kerinde 100m/Long jump 400m/pole vault/decathlon
Two Powerade team athletes invited by CBAT to represent their country at South American Championships U23 (Montevideo/Uruguay):
Bruna: 100/200/ relay
Karen: heptathlon.