Catching My First Wave
Getting Ready To Go Surf
Xande And Royler
Jon As A World Champion
Leonardo XavierToday was a good day...No pressure for me, but I could tell Jon was really anxious...The night before, we had a mishap with the Air conditioning unit which woke us up in the middle of the night dripping water...We had to use all our towels and a bucket and still were kept up by the sound of it running, but as it was so late, we tried to keep sleeping in to make certain Jon had rest enough for the day's work...We got up about an hour later than we wished, but Jon went off to hit the Sauna to make weight while I set about getting dressed and getting the maintenance people on their job...They came and cleared it up and I was ready as he got back...My sternum area is on fire about now...Will have to see a doctor about that...Well, off to the tournament...We unluckily hit Carlos again, and SOMEHOW it seems he has forgotten the way once again!? Ehh, we make it on time anyway though...The city is beautiful and the view of the Corcovado mountain and the Redeemer is gorgeous...Very calming though Jon is talking a mile a minute...I can feel he just wants to get to it but doesn't want to make a mistake...Once we get there though he seems to calm a bit...
General Day Four Pics
Walking into the Tijuca Tenis Clube, I am greeted by Xande Ribeiro, who slaps me a hello on my back and immediately starts apologizing...He goes on to say to me that He thinks I hurt it more when I screamed than when the guy elbowed it! LOL...He also asks what we are doing tonight? I tell him nothing and he invites me an Jon to a club called Zero Two One in Barra De Tijuca! I'm excited so we will see what's up...Off to meet the Alliance team to sit...It's really cool b/c today "Gigi" Paiva, Fabio Gurgel, and Fabio Clemente along with a few other heads of Alliance Schools and al the other competitors are all there...A GREAT atmosphere...Hell I have seen more red and black belts here today in one place than I thought were even around in the world...This place is a mad house...Got to meet and talk with De La Riva as welll!...Had one of the older gentlemen, who had about 4 stripes on his belt ask me how it felt to be a World Champion!? I never really felt that way but it made me proud that I can say that! He was also commenting on the fact he felt the level at this tournament, especially the Rio Open was higher than the Brazilian Championships he attended earlier this year...I don't know about all that but it makes me happy about being able to get a medal in the division with the young guys!!
It's time so Jon goes down and I go to take pics of his Gold Medal Match...The guy is a bit smaller looking than Jon but is said to be really tough...Jon paces around nervously a bit but flashes smiles around and all the guys get along well between out team and theirs...When the match starts, Jon does just as he has been running on about..inside low single and gets the take down...Jon goes on to pass, then work to 50/50 where the guy almost rolls, but Jon reverses mid-air and goes to mount...He works from submission to submission smoothly and works in for a toe-hold...The ankle pops and he let's go but the guy didn't tap...So it's back into the match...He works the guy over really well and works back for a reversal and mount and then time is called...Jon is a World Champion!!! :)
We come back for the Absolute later on in the evening after going Surfing (Jon's idea...My ribs hated it but I loved it...See below)...Jon won his first match (as seen in the set of photos below against the guy in the blue GI) by not accepting the guy pulling guard, and working for another toe-hold, then switching to a knee-bar...I am really happy and proud of him...Submissions are hard to come by out here...His second match in the absolute had him up against a much bigger opponent whom he tried a standing suicide cross baseball bat choke ...He should have held it a tad bit longer, but let go and once the guy had the advantage for that, he held on tight and Jon couldn't escape until about 45seconds left in the match, at which time the guy ran to secure the victory...He did great though! After saying good by to the team, we went back to the hotel, got changed and went back to our favorite new spot...that's right...Nik's to meet some folks from the tournament...I tried more than a few new dishes tonight at the request of the host and we got free deserts because of our medals (we were asked to bring em to show)...And here I am back in the room...we are to try to go to that club Xande spoke of in a while...Hope it's fun...Read below about my surfing...
Jon Match Pics
Well suffice it to say that things were pretty good yesterday...I had fun out on the beach in between Jon's matches and actually got up surfing...I got told I needed to eat more by some brazilian girls on the beach and got some kind of little cornbread and meat pie of some sort...I forget the name but they are good...After which they proceeded to laugh at my bad surfing...That was my first outing and tomorrow I will try again before going to the Redeemer statue among some other famous places in Rio...The nightlife was CRAZY...Will have to put that in probably on the plane for update when I get home though...Don't think I will be able to before we leave tomorrow...Oh well, enjoy the pictures...There are 100 in this slideshow...
Me On The Beach Surfing Pics
Thought For Today: You have but one life. Live it!
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