Brazil hopeful to win at least five Olympic gold medals in Athens

The Brazilian Olympic delegation for Athens 2004 has hopes to win at least five gold medals, a dream generated in Sydney 2000 where only silver and bronze medals were obtained.

The Brazilians are among the world's best in at least five disciplines: artistic gymnastics, men's volleyball, beach volleyball (men's and women's) and in the laser class sailing.

In addition to these disciplines, Brazil has good chances with Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira in star class sailing, triple jumper Jadel Gregorio, tennis player Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten, judoka Carlos Honorato, and the women's soccer team, the current Pan-American champion.

Brazil's hope is high particularly in five sports.

With her small collection of gold medals over the past two years, gymnast Daiane dos Santos is one of the title contenders, with such routines as "double twists" and "Brasileirinho."

Roberto Scheidt, of the laser class sailing goes to Athens for his third Olympic Games after a very special year, in which he won nine international competitions, including his seventh world title in the Bodrum, Turkey, and victories in Greece, Hyeres in France and Kiel in Germany.

The men's beach volleyball team of Ricardo and Emanuel repeated last year's feat by winning this year's world championship, with six victories in a row out the 13 matches and appears as the clear favorite to win the gold in Athens.

In women's beach volleyball, Brazil has the strongest position among the participating countries as it counts with two top-level duos -- Olympic champions from Atlanta Ana Paula/Sandra Pires, and Adriana Behar/Shelda, ranked seventh in the world after six world championship titles.

The men's volleyball team has world titles in 2002 and 2003, in addition to the two latest World League titles.

Since Bernardo Rezende started coaching in 2001, the team competed 138 matches with only 15 defeats.