From a blue-collar life to Rio 2016 HD

More Olympic news and videos brazil.com/olympics Maicon Siqueira, one of the best Brazilian taekwondo players, is currently preparing to fight for an Olympic medal in the 2016 Rio Games. But just three years ago, he was still working as a bricklayer and part-time waiter in his hometown – Minas Gerais – where back then he practised taekwondo only on the weekends. Siqueira was discovered by Reginaldo Souza, one of the coaches from the Brazilian national taekwondo team, during a competition. “Maicon lost the combat, but he made a movement executed only by lightweight fighters [Maicon is now a heavyweight fighter] and there, I saw his immense potential,” Souza recalled. Six months later, Siqueira moved to Sao Caetano – a small city next to Sao Paulo – to join the national team, and has been training among some of the best Brazilian players. Success never comes easy. Siqueira thought about quitting when he discovered that his mother was suffering from cancer, but Souza told him: “You can go back to Minas Gerais and your old job, and stay closer to your mother; or you can become an Olympic athlete, which will increase your chances to help her.” Siqueira decided to stay and continue his training. He broke a leg during training in early 2015, and that undermined his chances of getting a place in the Brazilian Olympic team. But thanks to the team effort from his psychologist, physiotherapist and coaches, Siqueira not only recovered to win bronze at the 2015 World University Games in South Korea, but has also knocked the door to the Olympics open. You may also want to watch: Israeli swimmers are ready to make a splash at Rio 2016 http://bit.ly/2b7GDTR Turkish wrestlers fight for gold at Rio 2016 https://youtu.be/pjiQl-hUqqQ Stay tuned with with us Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/BrazilDotCom/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brazilbrasilbrazil/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wwwBrazilCom