Eyeing the podium: Sarah Menezes
By Helena Petry and Mariana Sá - inA school prank turned into a serious matter for Sarah Menezes. Starting judo because it was a new addition to her school, she enjoyed it, continued training, and discovered her talent for the sport. Years later, the judoka conquered Brazil, brought the name of Piauí to the world, and found herself on the top step of the podium at the 2012 London Olympics.
A gold medalist, she was the first woman to reach this level in the history of Brazilian judo. Her achievement changed the course of the sport and placed her where every athlete would like to be. Now 29, Sarah is already thinking about her post-judo career, but she's focused on reaching her third Olympics in Tokyo 2020.
In the series "Eye on the Podium," Flamengo's official website tells the stories of some of the club's and Brazil's top athletes, covering their personal lives, careers, and, of course, their favorite. Learn more about those who make Flamengo and Brazil's Olympic sports stronger.
Beginning in judo
I started practicing judo at school as a joke, not planned at all. I was nine years old and joined because it was a new thing at school. I ended up liking it.
Arrival at Flamengo
My contact at Flamengo was with Rosicleia (Campos, Flamengo's and Brazil's coach). I talked to her and told her I wanted to go to a big club and that I thought of her because she was interested in being here. She said that if I got anything, I would let Expedito (Falcão, the coach who developed Sarah) know and I would come here. Rosi spoke with the club, and then everything worked out.
I wanted to change things up a bit after the Rio Olympics. I had an injury, was sidelined for a while, and the following year, this happened. I stayed in my hometown for a while and decided to look for a club. Talking to Rosi, she told me to wait a bit, and I ended up staying at Flamengo.
Day to day at Mais Querido
Every day is memorable. I'm always doing what I love, training, taking advantage of the club's facilities. When I need something, I go after it, schedule it, and get it done. I believe I'm here because I love what I do. Currently, my daily routine is very relaxed. In the mornings, I stay home, walk my dog, schedule physical therapy if I have an injury, and I also see a psychologist and nutritionist. Twice a week, I still do physical training in the morning and the other days in the afternoon. I rest a bit more, study French on my phone, and in the evening, I have judo training.
Career difficulties
I faced many obstacles to reach the level I'm at today. At the beginning of my career, because I was so skinny, no one would bet on me. I came from a poor place with little sports tradition (northeastern Piauí), and in 1999, I had nothing. It was difficult to find partners and sponsors for trips. When you're not on the national team, you have to pay for travel out of your own pocket. Leaving to go to another region was very expensive, so I struggled with that. After I started representing Brazil, it was easier because I had all the support I needed. Before, I had everything through friendships, knowing doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists.
For high-performance athletes, I don't actually see any problem. I believe that when you get to that point, everything is very easy. You don't have the difficulty, because it comes when you're not at that level yet. Then you need to seek out sponsors and structure to put in a good effort. The hardest part is training while injured, sick, things like that.
Main competitions of 2019
All competitions are crucial, as we fight to score points and advance to the Olympic Games. So all international tournaments are important. The next one is in early July, a Grand Prix in Montreal, and then there's the World Championships. All of this counts with Tokyo in mind.
Category change
This change happened because I made the weight at the beginning of the year, so they tested me and found my body mass was in the category I was already in, which was -48kg. They called me in for a meeting, talked to me, and explained that all the athletes who went through this either decided to move up a category or left the national team. I decided to try the Lightweight, which is up to 52kg.
Judo is more diverse today, with even the lighter weight classes featuring taller youngsters. Now, in the -52kg category, the difference is height and difficulty according to the rules, as well as strength, as the level is different for the more experienced girls.
Preparation for the Olympic Games
My expectations are always high. It's been quite difficult, as I started the year by moving up a category and lagging behind in the rankings. Because I wasn't selected for the first competitions because of this, I fell behind. I didn't make much progress in the tournaments I participated in. Now is the time to be on the podium in everything I compete in, especially in first or second place. If I win medals, the Confederation will select me for other events, and this will continue until May of next year, when this phase of earning ranking points ends.
Family structure
I have two sisters, a brother, my parents, and some nephews, as well as other people who don't live with me. Most of them are Flamengo fans. My mother is a die-hard fan. The family is quite large; there are about ten of us in my house alone.
Idols
When I started judo, I began to learn about high-level athletes and looked up to them in my own sport. I looked up to Flávio Canto, Tiago Camilo, and Leandro Guilheiro. I always watched when the boys trained. I thought their judo was very easy, and that inspired me to keep going.
Personal life
I'm studying Physical Education at college and am almost graduating. I also take French lessons on an app and am gaining a better understanding. I'm more confident in this language because of my fiancé. My hobbies are going to the movies, the theater, hanging out with friends, and going to restaurants. But I'm very much a homebody.
Technical sheet
Name: Sarah Gabrielle de Cabral Menezes
Date of birth: 26/03/1990
Age: 29 years
Height: 1,85m
Place of Birth: Teresina, Piauí
Main achievements: Gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, bronze at the Rio 2013, Paris 2011 and Tokyo 2010 World Championships, silver at the Guadalajara 2016 and Tyumen 2013 World Masters, four-time Pan American champion (10, 13, 15, 16), Tuymen 2014 Grand Slam champion