PARIS-2024
Gustavo ‘Bala Loka’ makes the BMX freestyle final at the Olympics; Rugby finishes in 10th position
Brazil scored 85.51 and 86.07, with an average of 85.79
Published on July 30, 2024 at 4:47 pm
Gustavo Batista de Oliveira, Bala Loka Credit: Gaspar Nóbrega/COB
The first time at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the rider Gustavo Batista “Bala Loka” de Oliveira made himself among the top eight and advanced to the BMX freestyle final this Wednesday. The Brazilian finished in eighth place and promises to have saved “moves” to surprise the medal contender.
Brazil scored 85.51 and 86.07, with an average of 85.79. The best man of the day was the British Kieran Reilly, with 91.68 and 90.75, an impressive average of 91.21, followed by North American Marcus Christopher (89.48 average), and Australian Logan Martin (89.39).
“We had already been thinking, working hard, training hard to reach the final of the Olympics, like the World Cup, the World Cup. We wanted to be in that final, and I’m very happy to be involved in the Olympics, the first BMX to represent Brazil and to be in the final is amazing”, points out Bala Loka, who was nominated by the far -name.
“I was a bit worried because of the heat, 40 degrees today, it’s very, very hot, we still wear black, we get a lot of heat and we have the equipment, knee pads, shin guards , ankle braces, helmets, and it’s very hot here”, he said, pointing out that the weather was an additional competitor.
Even if he is 3.60 points below the average that would give him the medal, the Brazilian promises to reach the decision on Wednesday morning (9:44 am Brasilia) well and with his movements on his save
“Today I kept my own, I didn’t do the basics, but just a good lap to be in the final”, he explained. “There were some mistakes, but in the final there are more, about three or four moves saved and I want to have a 100% rested body to deliver everything”, said the Brazilian, with a personality bike with a Brazilian animal sticker.
10TH PLACE IN RUGBY
The Brazilian rugby team lost again to Japan in Paris-2024, this time in the dispute for ninth place. After scoring 28-22 against Fiji, on Monday, the Yaras fell again against the Asians, 38-7, finishing in 10th place, one lower than the Rio 2016 Games.
