Brazil hope to end Olympic judo medal drought in London

Rio de Janeiro, May 2 (IANS) Brazil will be hoping to end a 20-year Olympic gold medal drought at the London Games.

For the first time in Olympic history, Brazil will field a competitor in each of the 14 judo categories, with top-ranked Leandro Guilheiro (81kg) and Mayra Aguiar (78kg) favourites to win their respective events, Xinhua reported.

Brazil's Judo Confederation (CBJ) technical coordinator Ney Wilson dismissed suggestions that the London Games served as preparation for the team's 2016 Olympic campaign in Rio.

"Our future is now. The athletes know they have to perform whenever they represent the national team," Wilson said.

Brazil's last Olympic judo gold medallist was Rogerio Sampaio, who won the 65kg class at the 1992 Games in Barcelona.

According the CBJ, Brazil has won 362 medals from 113 world tour judo events in the past four years.