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BRAZIL IN THE OLYMPICS Due to the tropical nature of the climate in Brazil, it has not traditionally competed in the Winter Olympic Games , although it Has Participated In The 2006 Games . However, Brazil has been competing in the Summer Olympics since 1920 . Brazil is currently ranked 33rd in the overall ranking of medals in the summer olympics. Here is the record of brazilian medals in the games so far: won both the bronze medal and the CAPOEIRA Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art marked by deft, tricky movements often played on the ground or completely inverted. It also has a strong acrobatic component in some versions and is always played with music. It is a culturally significant sport, developed in colonial times by slaves. Nowadays Capoeira is practiced internationally and found it's way into popular culture through many Computer Games and movies. BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU AND VALE TUDO Brazilian Jiu Jitsu originated in Brazil in the 1910s , and emphasizes ground fighting techniques and submission holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds. Gracie Jiu Jitsu became known internationally in the 1990s , due to the very skilled fighters in the Gracie family, namely Hélio Gracie , Royce Gracie and Rickson Gracie , which are also responsible for spreading the practice of Vale Tudo , meaning "anything goes", seen today in tournaments such as PRIDE and Ultimate Fighting . Some notable brazilian fighters in these tournaments include Wanderlei Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira . Helio Gracie had a rather small build and changed Jiu-Jitsu (that came from Japan) to be used by anyone in a real fight situation. The belt progression goes in the following order: White, Blue, Purple, Brown, Black, Red-black, Red. Helio Gracie is the only red belt in the world. FOOTBALL (SOCCER) scores a goal in Haiti.]] See Also: Football in Brazil The most popular sport in Brazil is Football. The , one of the world's most recognized players, led Brazil to three of those championships and is the top scorer of all time in the sport. After the third win, Brazil kept the World Cup Trophy permanently. Brazil is set to compete in the 2006 World Cup as one of the favorites to win the competition. Some of the contemporary talents in the national team prominent in the football world include Romário , Rivaldo and Ronaldo . Some of these players can be considered super-stars, achieving celebrity status internationally and signing sports contracts, as well as advertisement and endorsement contracts, in the value of millions of Dollars . The current holder of the title of best football player in the world, according to FIFA , is Ronaldinho , who won the FIFA World Player Of The Year prize in 2004 and 2005. The governing body of football in Brazil is the Brazilian Football Confederation . Football has a major effect on Brazilian Culture . It is often the favorite past time of youngsters that can be found playing football on the streets. World Cup tournaments are a social phenomenon, and it is not unusual for people to skip work to watch the national team play, and in some cases the very workplace will set up apparatus for it's employees to watch the event together. It should be noted that the General Elections are usually held in the same year as the World Cup, and this is often criticized for taking advantage of the nationalistic surge created by football and bringing it into politics. Also, former football players are often elected to legislative positions. See also: FUTSAL Futsal is an indoor variation of football and is also widely practiced in Brazil. It originated within South America and the first set of common rules was published in São Paulo . Currently the sport has been adopted by FIFA and Brazil won 3 out of 5 international competitions. SAINT SILVESTER MARATHON The Saint Silvester Marathon is the oldest and most prestigious street race in Brazil. Regarded as the main international event in Latin American athletics, the marathon is held yearly in the city of São Paulo on December 31. The race is made more difficult by the intense heat of the Brazilian summer and the geographical obstacles that have to be surmounted by the athletes. Dehydration and heat stroke, among other symptoms, are not uncommon for both amateur runners and international stars (albeit much more common amidst amateurs). There are 15000 participants in the race, coming from many countries around the world. Winning this event usually represents instant fame in Brazil. Accordingly, Paul Tergat , the most successful athlete in the event so far, is one of the most recognized African personalities in the country, second only to Nelson Mandela. FOOTVOLLEY Footvolley was created in Brazil in the 1960s . It is a mix of football and volleyball, where the players must use their feet and head to get the ball over the net and into the opponent's court, and is also played in sand. It became a trend setting beach sport riding the Brazilian influence wave of fashion, models, and bikini's in the early 2000s . TENNIS Gustavo Kuerten, Or Guga, is considered the best Brazilian tennis player so far, having reached the number 1 ranking in the world at the top of his career and winning the French Open three times, in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Player Fernando Meligeni was also responsible for popularizing the sport in the country. BASKETBALL Basketball is somewhat popular in Brazil, but lost popularity after the increased attention volleyball has gained recently. The brazilian national team has won the ' Leandro Barbosa & the Denver Nuggets ' Nene . AUTO RACING is often considered a national hero.]] Brazil has produced some (1972 and 1974), Nelson Piquet (1981, 1983 and 1987) and Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990 and 1991). It is home to the Brazilian Grand Prix held in Interlagos , located in the city of São Paulo . Currently, there are 2 brazilian drivers in the 2006 lineup, Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa . It is also home to quite a few notable drivers in the Indy Racing League , such as 2004 champion Tony Kanaan , as well as winners of the Indy 500 course, Emerson Fittipaldi, Gil De Ferran and Hélio Castroneves . Auto racing popularity is rising, and recently Brazil has been promoting Stock Car championships and Motocross events. The most prominent brazilian pilot on two wheels as of now is Alex Barros . VOLLEYBALL Brazil has shown tremendous success in the sport, winning the men's gold medal. |
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