Beatriz Mesquita earns gold in the open weight division. Photo: Erin Herle
Bia Mesquita had a portentous comeback to competitions at the 2014 Pan. Sidelined by an injury to her tight since the 2013 Worlds, Bia was anxious to return, but knew she couldn’t reappear displaying a Jiu-Jitsu under the usual technical level she always had. The two gold medals (lightweight and open class) were more than enough proof that everything is still in place and Bia is ready for the challenges to come. She talked to GRACIEMAG’s Vitor Freitas about what the 2014 Pan was like for her.
Coming back after 9 months
Thank God I didn’t lack rhythm. I was anxious to fight so I could know how I was going to do. Being so worried about coming back to the top made me prepare even harder. The goal was to submit all my opponents and only Andressa Correa, in the open class final, escaped that fate. So, I can say that I’m even more focused than before.
The lightweight final against Fabiana Borges
I was able to work the closed guard, one of my strong points. From there, I swept and got the mount. When she tried to escape, I worked the lapel and allowed her to continue her movement so I could sink the choke deeper. Then, all I had to do was to squeeze.
Bia choking Fabiana Borges
The thrill of being an open class champion
Despite being a lightweight, I always go after the gold medal in the open class. Winning it is not an obligation, but a bonus to me. I wasn’t even going to fight the absolute division, but my heart beat faster and I couldn’t resist. So, I went for it and gave my best to win.
The absolute final against Andressa Correa
It was a tough fight and I couldn’t complete the positions I was trying to get to. I ended up with 6 advantages and no points, but trying the submission all the way to the end. The lesson I took out of it was to get the points first and then go for the tap.
