PIC: Fifou, leo vieira, Rico vieira and friends celebrate the gold!The 2nd day of the greatest Jiu-Jitsu show on earth has completed and some great matches were witnessed. Amongst the best were Gregor Gracie (Gracie Barra) and Cottonete from (TT) along with Brasa’s Fifou. Fifou, a student of Rico Vieira’s project conequered his long dreamed Gold in the purple. Growing up and living in the Cantaglo Community, (an underpriviledge community in Rio) Fifou had to overcome many difficulties: ‘You know I was alaways a provider in my family, I lived with my grandparents and it has been my job to get food on the table. I have been training for 7 years but I had to stop for 2 to work extra hard. And now I realised half of my dream’. Fifou recently lost his dad and had his arm broken at the Nationals: ‘I always have faith, my arm healed quickly and I asked my Grandmother for a break so I could prepare for this. Every child growing up in Cantagalo that trains Jiu-Jitsu has two goals, to win a World title and to become a Black Belt. I have my first half, now I have to become a Black Belt.’ Being a role model for kids in the Cantagalo doesn’t come easy but Fifou is a great one following the footsteps of ‘Terere’.Gregor Gracie and Cotonete had stellar performances submitting most of their opponents on the way to the title, Now the only question is ‘who will take the Absolute cake Saturday?’ Gregor, Cotonete and Fifou will have a say.Saturday’s program includes the Brown Belts and the beginning of the Black Belt absolute, one of the hardest ever!Day one Blue Belts and Ladies Blue and purple battled like never before, of note was South African Ladies star Penny Thomas repeating as World Champion, this time as a purple (last year she became the first South African to win Gold in the Blue) !
