An interview must be done by phone, because Daniel has been in Santos for over three months, a port city under São Paulo. “I sleep in the gym and I teach in exchange for shelter, I train about four hours a day with top athletes.”
“Since I completed my studies in Crisis and Security Management and Public Administration, I am a full-time athlete, and when I am in Rotterdam, I teach classes at Erasmus Sport.”
For Daniel (24), the global title race in the United States will be his first World Cup. He already finished third on an European Championships and on December 10 he gets full confidence on the plane to Los Angeles. “A medal has to be achievable, the rule is that the Brazilian champion will also become world champion, but you never know who will participate, at jiujitsu everyone can register and qualifying is not necessary.”
Right after the World Cup Daniël returns to Rotterdam. For the time being he stays in Europe, because in January he comes into action at the European Championships in Lisbon and in March at the European Championships without a gi in Rome.