Daniel Cargnin’s soul is pure after winning the lightweight (73kg) title at the Clagary 2023 Pan American and Oceania Championships. After being ruled out of the podium in 2022 due to an injury suffered during the competition , this year, the Brazilian presented 100% physically and left his opponents no chance.

He defeated Colombian Andres Sandoval by ipponzaço in the first fight and defeated Mexican Gilberto Cardoso in the semi-final, imposing three punishments on his opponent.

In this decision he found a familiar opponent, whom he had already beaten four times. Once again, Cargnin proved superior and, in a very quick and opportunistic manner, managed a fatal counterattack to throw Arthur Margelidon of Canada by ippon. Fifth consecutive victory for the Brazilian against the Canadian, gold medal on the chest, sixth point guaranteed and mission accomplished in Calgary.

“I am very happy and, I admit, my soul is pure. Last year it was a very difficult competition, I got injured in the semi-final. So, to leave here with gold, in a year that was also difficult, I operated. Coming away with this gold medal shows that I am on the right track, these are important points to be seeded at the Olympics. Mission accomplished individually and on Sunday there are teams. The final was played against a Canadian athlete that I already know, who placed fifth at the last world championships and fifth at the Olympic Games. It’s about continuing to train now, with our feet on the ground, to get to Paris next year,” summarized Cargnin, currently number 7 in the 73 kg world rankings.

This season he has already won silver at the Paris Grand Slam, gold at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam and gold at the Bahia Open. Cargnin, who won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games and bronze at the 2022 World Cup, ended up missing the 2023 World Cup with a back injury.

Returning after an operation, he won the Bahia Open, a lower technical level competition on the circuit, and ended up being eliminated in the round of 16 of the World Masters, an event which only brings together the 36 best in the world in each category of weight. . With this, the result at Pan could be his best sixth point overall in the Olympic rankings.