Rafael Buzacarini

{{Infobox judoka

| name = Rafael Buzacarini

| image = Rafael Buzacarini 2016.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Buzacarini in 2016

| birth_name =

| fullname = Rafael Augusto Buzacarini

| nationality =

| residence =

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|6 October 1991}}

| birth_place = Barra Bonita, São Paulo, Brazil

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 185 cm

| country = Brazil

| weight_class = {{nbnd}}100 kg

| club = Associação de Judô Vila Sônia

| coach = Luiz Shinohara

| retired =

| olympics_rank = R16

| olympics_year = 2016

| olympics_weight = Men's 100 kg

| worlds_rank = R16

| worlds_year = 2019

| worlds_weight = Men's 100 kg

| worlds_year2 = 2021

| worlds_weight2 = Men's 100 kg

| worlds_year3 = 2022

| worlds_weight3 = Men's 100 kg

| regionals_type = AM

| regionals_rank = 2

| regionals_year = 2020

| regionals_weight =

| regionals_year2 = 2022

| regionals_weight2 =

| regionals_year3 = 2025

| regionals_weight3 =

| nationals =

| show-medals =

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country| {{BRA}} }}

{{Medal|S| 2020 Guadalajara | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2022 Lima | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2014 Guayaquil | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2024 Rio de Janeiro | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2015 Paris | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2019 Brasilia | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2023 Tbilisi | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2013 Almaty | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2016 Samsun | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2016 Almaty | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2019 Tbilisi | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2019 Antalya | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|S| 2023 Perth | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2013 Miami | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2013 Qingdao | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2014 Düsseldorf | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2017 Tbilisi | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2018 Cancún | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2020 Tel Aviv | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2024 Odivelas | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2024 Linz | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

{{Medal|B| 2013 Kazan | {{nbnd}}100 kg }}

| updated = 28 April 2024

}}

Rafael Augusto Buzacarini (born 6 October 1991) is a heavyweight judoka from Brazil.{{cite Sports-Reference}} He won two silver medals at the 2020 and 2022 Pan American Judo Championships and qualified for the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics.

Career

He began practicing judo at the age of five, with encouragement from his parents. He moved to São Paulo, starting to defend the Vila Sônia Judo Association. In 2012, he was runner-up in the Brazilian under-23 championship. The following year, he was a silver medalist at the Grand Prix in Almaty, Kazakhstan and a bronze medalist at the Grand Prix in Qingdao, China. He also won two bronze medals at the Universiade held in Kazan, Russia.[https://olimpiadatododia.com.br/atletas/judo/rafael-buzacarini-meio-pesado-toquio-2020/ Rafael Augusto Buzacarini Profile Olimpiada Todo Dia]

At the 2014 Pan American Judo Championships held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, he won a bronze medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) category. [https://jovempan.com.br/esportes/brasil-conquista-ouro-e-bronze-no-ultimo-dia-do-judo-nos-jogos-sul-americanos-2014-03-14.html Brasil conquista ouro e bronze no último dia do judô nos Jogos Sul-Americanos]

Buzacarini won his first Grand Slam medal (the tournament that gives the most points in the judo ranking after the Olympic Games, the World Championships and the World Masters) at the 2015 Judo Grand Slam Paris, where he won the silver medal, defeating, in the semi-final, Elmar Gasimov, from Azerbaijan, who was the current leader of the world rankings.[http://rededoesporte.gov.br/pt-br/noticias/rafael-buzacarini-e-david-moura-conquistam-medalhas-de-prata-no-grand-slam-de-paris Rafael Buzacarini e David Moura conquistam a prata no Grand Slam de Paris de judô]

He competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, reaching the round of 16 in the Men's 100 kg category, where he was defeated by eventual bronze medalist, Japanese Ryunosuke Haga.[https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/rio-2016/noticia/2016-08/judoca-rafael-buzacarini-e-eliminado-da-olimpiada-em-disputa-contra-japones Judoca Rafael Buzacarini é eliminado da Olimpíada em disputa contra japonês]

At the 2019 World Judo Championships, Buzacarini won two fights and reached the round of 16, where he was eliminated by Elmar Gasimov, Olympic runner-up in 2016.[https://www.espn.com.br/artigo/_/id/6011456/mayra-aguiar-e-bronze-e-conquista-sexta-medalha-em-mundiais-de-judo Mayra Aguiar é bronze e conquista sexta medalha em Mundiais de Judô]

Buzacarini obtained his second medal in Grand Slams at the 2019 Judo Grand Slam Brasilia, where he reached the decision against the Japanese Kentaro Iida, taking the silver medal.[https://www.surtoolimpico.com.br/2019/10/grand-slam-de-judo-de-brasilia-2019.html Grand Slam de Judô Brasília 2019 último dia]

He represented Brazil at the 2020 Summer Olympics,{{Cite web|last=Brasil|first=Bolavip|title=Brasil já tem 275 atletas classificados para os Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio|url=https://br.bolavip.com/cotidiano/Jogos-Olimpicos--Brasil-ja-tem-275-atletas-classificados-para-os-Jogos-Olimpicos-de-Toquio-20210625-0058.html|access-date=2021-06-27|website=Bolavip Brasil|language=pt-BR}}{{Cite web|title=Judo BUZACARINI Rafael|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/judo/athlete-profile-n1338154-buzacarini-rafael.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=2021-08-23|work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics|publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|language=en-us|archive-date=2021-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823021428/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/judo/athlete-profile-n1338154-buzacarini-rafael.htm}} held in 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. He was defeated in his debut in the Men's 100 kg category by Belgian Toma Nikiforov. He represented Brazil in the mixed team competition, with a 4-2 defeat to Israel.[https://ge.globo.com/olimpiadas/noticia/rafael-buzacarini-perde-na-estreia-e-esta-fora-das-olimpiadas-no-judo.ghtml Rafael Buzacarini perde na estreia e está fora das Olimpíadas no judô][https://www.lance.com.br/olimpiada/judo-por-equipes-brasil-perde-para-israel-eliminado-nos-jogos-olimpicos-toquio.html Judô por equipes: Brasil perde para Israel e é eliminado nos Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio]

At the 2020 Pan American Judo Championships held in Guadalajara, Mexico, he won a silver medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) category. [http://rededoesporte.gov.br/pt-br/noticias/hegemonia-completa-brasil-fecha-o-pan-de-guadalajara-com-14-medalhas-individuais-e-o-titulo-por-equipes Brasil fecha o Pan de Guadalajara com 14 medalhas individuais e o título por equipes]

At the 2021 World Judo Championships, Buzacarini debuted against Estonian judoka Grigori Minaskin and achieved one of the most beautiful ippon of the day at the Laszlo Papp Arena. The Brazilian aggressively attacked the Dutchman Michael Korrel, bronze in the last World Championships, in Tokyo 2019, but ended up being eliminated in the round of 16.[http://rededoesporte.gov.br/pt-br/noticias/mayra-e-buzacarini-param-nas-oitavas-no-sexto-dia-de-mundial-de-judo Mayra Aguiar e Rafael Buzacarini param nas oitavas no sexto dia de Mundial de judô]

At the 2022 Pan American Judo Championships held in Lima, Peru, he won a silver medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) category. [https://fmintegracao.com.br/buzacarini-conquista-a-prata-no-pan-de-judo Buzacarini conquista a prata no Pan de Judô]

At the 2022 World Judo Championships, Bye in the opening round, Buzacarini (12th in the ranking) debuted with an ippon against Kazakh Islam Bozbayev (44th), but in the round of 16, he had to face Korrel again (no. 2 in the world), who eliminated him from the World Championship in 2021. The dispute with Korrel was fierce (both received two shido) and well balanced, but the Dutchman managed a waza-ari and came out on top, advancing in the competition.[https://ge.globo.com/judo/noticia/2022/10/11/rafael-buzacarini-cai-para-o-2o-ranking-na-disputa-dos-meio-pesados-no-mundial.ghtml Buzacarini cai para o 2º ranking nos meio-pesados no Mundial; Mayra Aguiar briga pelo ouro]

At the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi, he lost in the semifinals to the second-placed in the world rankings, Georgian Ilia Sulamanidze, but later obtained the bronze medal.[https://olimpiadatododia.com.br/judo/498777-rafael-buzacarini-bronze-grand-slam-tbilisi/ Rafael Buzacarini conquista o bronze no Grand Slam de Tbilisi]

Number 17 in the world in the light heavyweight category (-100kg), Buzacarini entered the 2023 World Judo Championships and advanced to the round of 16, winning two fights, but fell to Canadian Kyle Reyes, world runner-up last year.[https://ge.globo.com/judo/noticia/2023/05/12/buzacarini-chega-as-oitavas-sem-precisar-lutar-mas-cai-no-mundial-de-judo.ghtml Buzacarini chega às oitavas sem precisar lutar, mas cai no Mundial de judô]

At the 2024 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships, he won a bronze medal.[https://ge.globo.com/judo/noticia/2024/04/27/beatriz-souza-e-guilherme-schimidt-sao-ouro-no-pan-americano-de-judo.ghtml Beatriz Souza e Guilherme Schimidt são ouro no Pan-Americano de Judô]

At the 2024 World Judo Championships, Buzacarini debuted with victory over Isaac Bazzina, from Malta, but stopped at two-time world champion Nikoloz Sherazadshvili, from Spain.[https://cbj.com.br/pt/noticias/brasileiros-param-nas-eliminatorias-no-quinto-dia-do-mundial-de-judo-/ Brasileiros param nas eliminatórias no quinto dia do Mundial de judô]