Rafaela Silva

Rafaela Lopes Silva (born 24 April 1992) is a Brazilian judoka. She won a gold medal at the 2013 World Judo Championships and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the –57 kg weight division. Currently, she occupies the graduation third sergeant in the Navy of Brazil and integrates the Center of Physical Education Admiral Nunes (CEFAN), the Military Sports Department.

Not to be confused with Rafael Silva (judoka).
This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Lopes and the second or paternal family name is Silva.
Rafaela Silva
Silva in 2016
Personal information
NationalityBrazilian
Born (1992-04-24) 24 April 1992
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Height169 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight57 kg (126 lb)
Sport
CountryBrazil
SportJudo
Event(s)–57 kg
ClubInstituto Reação[1]
Coached byGeraldo Bernardes

In August 2013, she was the first Brazilian to become world champion in Judo. On 8 August 2016, she won the gold medal of category up until 57 kg the Olympics 2016

Biography

Rafaela Silva grew up in the Rio de Janeiro slum known as Cidade de Deus. The first sport she liked was football, practicing against other children in a dirt field near her home in Jacarepagua. Because they were concerned with fights and violence in the streets, when Rafaela was 7 years old her parents[2] Luiz Carlos and Zenilda Silva signed her up, together with her sister, Raquel, for judo classes at the Institute Reaction, newly fitted at Cidade de Deus the former athlete Flávio Canto.

"I started judo in 2000, early in the project. My father put me in the sport as an alternative to fighting in the street. In Judo, I found discipline, I respect the other and began to take the sport seriously. Judo showed me the world. With the resources I get, I guarantee my support and help my family pay the bills. "

Judo career
Rafaela Silva, owner of a gold medal of the Summer Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro for a victory in competitions in judo.

Silva won her first major medal by claiming silver at the 2011 World Judo Championships in Paris.[3] During the 2013 World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Silva became the first Brazilian woman to ever win a gold medal for her country in a World Judo Championship after defeating American Marti Malloy in the final.[4] She repeated the feat at the 2016 Summer Olympics by defeating Mongolian Sumiya Dorjsuren in the final.[5]

In the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Rafaela was disqualified by the judges in the second round by an illegal coup. The most dramatic moment of Rafaela in the sport. When it ended up being a victim of racism in social networks. Upon returning home, she became depressed. She spent a lot of time lying down, not wanting to leave. "A lot of people came to say that she needed to turn around," says the mother. In 2012, in December, she was a bronze medalist at the Grand Slam of Tokyo (category up to 63 kg).

Silva won gold and bronze in 2019 Pan American Games and 2019 Judo World Championships, respectively, but tested positive for fenoterol after the former tournament.[6] Despite testing negative in the World Championships, she was banned from competition for two years by IJF and stripped of both medals.[6] Silva appealed the sanction, but the CAS upheld the ban in late 2020.[6]

Mixed martial arts career

Being temporarily banned from judo, Silva opted to transition to mixed martial arts. She is currently training at PFL athlete Joilton Santos' gym Peregrino Fight Academy with UFC athlete Cláudio Silva and is expected to compete in the Flyweight division.[7]

Personal life

In an interview to Globo Sports, Rafaela came out and identified as gay. She spoke about her relationship with student Thamara Cezar, whom she knew in Institute Reaction.[8][9][10]

References
  1. Rafaela Lopes Silva. cob.org.br
  2. Paradella, Rodrigo (29 August 2013). "Rafaela Silva troca futebol por judô e supera drama familiar com ouro" (in Portuguese). UOL Esporte. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  3. "World Judo Championships, Paris 2011 – DAY 2 RESULTS". Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  4. "IJF World Championship Seniors 2013 – Category -57 kg". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  5. "Rafaela Silva wins Brazil's first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games". Rio 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  6. "Olympic judo champion Rafaela Silva loses appeal of 2-year doping ban". ESPN. December 21, 2020.
  7. Marcelo Alonso (January 22, 2021). "Olympic, Brazilian World Judo Champion Rafaela Silva Moves to MMA". Sherdog.
  8. "Brazilian Judo Gold Medalist Publicly Opens Up About Girlfriend For First Time". Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  9. "Brazilian gold medal judo champion comes out publicly as gay". Outsposts. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  10. "O alicerce que ninguém vê: namorada cuida de tudo para que Rafaela só lute" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
Awards
Preceded by
Ana Marcela Cunha		 Brazilian Sportswomen of the Year
2016		 Succeeded by
Mayra Aguiar
Preceded by
Thiago Pereira		 Brazilian Athlete of the Year (Fan's Choice)
2016		 Succeeded by
Caio Bonfim
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