On Wednesday, July 31, Brazil experienced both triumphs and setbacks at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The day began with a disappointing loss for the men’s volleyball team against Poland. Now, they rely on other match outcomes to advance to the quarterfinals.
In the afternoon, however, Bia Ferreira made history. She became the first Brazilian female boxer to secure two Olympic medals. She has guaranteed at least a bronze with a chance for gold.
In men’s artistic gymnastics, Diogo Soares finished second to last. He missed the podium to Japan’s Oka, who won gold, and China’s Zhang and Xiao, who took silver and bronze.
Judoka Rafael Macedo also left without a medal. He lost the bronze due to a controversial referee decision involving a third ‘shidó.’
However, not all news was bleak for Brazil. The men’s beach volleyball duo, Evandro and Arthur, defeated Canada 2-0.
They advanced to the round of 16. Meanwhile, the women’s soccer team lost 2-0 to Spain. They moved forward due to the United States defeating Australia.
As of today, Brazil stands 29th in the Olympic medal count with one silver and three bronze medals. China leads the rankings with 18 medals, including eight golds.
Women’s Boxing
Beatriz Ferreira faced Dutch boxer Chelsey Heijnen. She secured a spot for at least the bronze in the lightweight boxing category. She still has a chance to win silver or gold as the competition progresses.
Men’s Beach Volleyball
Evandro and Arthur triumphed over the Canadian team, winning 2-0 (21/13, 21/16). They secured their place in the round of 16. They will next face the Czech team on Friday.
Women’s Soccer
The Brazilian team lost 2-0 to Spain but advanced due to the USA’s victory over Australia.
Marta’s expulsion after an aggressive but unintentional foul marked the game. This might signal her Olympic farewell.
Men’s Volleyball
The men’s volleyball team faced another defeat, this time against Poland. They won two of the five sets. They must now beat Egypt to advance.
Judo
Rafael Macedo narrowly missed the bronze in the 90kg category after a controversial referee decision.
He dominated most of the match against France’s Maxime-Gael Ngayap Hambou but was thwarted by a late ‘shidó.’
Table Tennis
Hugo Calderano, ranked 6th globally, defeated French player Alexis Lebrun to advance to the quarterfinals. He won 4-1.
Women’s Swimming
Beatriz Dizotti finished seventh in the 1,500m freestyle, just missing a podium finish.
Sailing
Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze, Olympic champions, advanced to the medal race. They are out of podium contention due to accumulated points.
Canoeing Slalom
Ana Sátila finished fifth in the individual canoe slalom with the best Brazilian performance in this category. Despite this, she missed the podium.
Overall, Brazil’s day at the Olympics was filled with emotional highs and lows. It reflected the unpredictable nature of the games.
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