“Yesterday, in Brazil, we put the worst president in our history in prison,” said the athlete in a speech in English after winning bronze
In the Brazilian clash in the dispute for third place in the women’s tournament of the Beach Volleyball World Championship, in Adelaide, Australia, Carol Solberg and Rebecca got the better of Thâmela and Vic, in the early hours of this Sunday, by 2 sets to 0, partials of 21/18 and 22/20. Thus, the duo ended the competition with the bronze medal, the only one for Brazil in this year’s edition of the competition.
After the match, Carol celebrated the preventive arrest of former president Jair Bolsonaro. “Yes, it’s an incredible day for me, I’m very happy. It was also a wonderful day for the world. Yesterday, in Brazil, we put the worst president in our history in prison. Bolsonaro is in prison, and this is so important that we celebrate. I’m so proud to have this record now. I could never believe that we had a president like him”, she said, in English, before adding in Portuguese: “Let’s celebrate! Bolsonaro in jail, guys!”
The 38-year-old athlete, who tends to be open about her political preferences, has already faced criticism and a lawsuit at the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD), in 2020, for shouting “Out, Bolsonaro!” during an interview on the court at the Brazilian Beach Volleyball Circuit. At the time, she was fined and later acquitted.
In this Sunday’s match, the duo formed by Thâmela and Vic, leader of the women’s ranking of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), managed to keep a duel full of rallies balanced, but Carol’s aggressive serves and Rebecca’s blocks prevailed in the fight for a medal.
The two remaining Brazilian pairs had been defeated in the semifinals. In the decision, among their tormentors, the Latvians Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova defeated the Americans Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss by 2 sets to 1, with partials of 21/15, 15/21 and 15/11, and became world champions for the first time
Current Olympic champions and silver medalists in the last edition of the World Cup, in 2023, in Mexico, Duda and Ana Patrícia withdrew from the tournament before the round of 16 match, due to injury.
In the men’s category, Olympic champions David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig, who were defeated by two Brazilian pairs in the group stage, went on to defeat fellow Swedes Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson by 2 sets to 0, 25/23 and 21/19, and took the unprecedented title after finishing second in Mexico, in 2023. Evandro and Arthur Lanci had the best classification among Brazil’s representatives in the men’s category, in fifth place, after elimination against the champions in the quarter-finals.
Record holder for medals, with 35 pieces, and main winner of the World Championship, with 13 gold medals in men and women, Brazil reached the top of the podium for the last time in 2022, in Rome, with Ana Patrícia and Duda. In the men’s category, the last gold came in Vienna, Austria, in 2017, with Evandro and André.
