Leonardo Gonçalves

Leonardo Ribeiro Gonçalves (born 1 March 1996) is a Brazilian judoka.

Career
At the 2015 World Judo Juniors Championships, he won a silver medal in the −100 kg category.

At the 2017 Pan American Judo Championships held in Panama, he won a bronze medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) category.

At the 2018 Pan American Judo Championships held in San José, Costa Rica, Gonçalves won his biggest title, winning a gold medal in the 100 kg category.

At the 2018 South American Games held in Cochabamba, Bolivia, he got the title, winning a gold medal in the 100 kg category.

At the 2019 Pan American Judo Championships held in Lima, Peru, he won a silver medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) category.

At the 2019 World Judo Championships held in Tokyo, Japan, making his debut at the Adult World Championships, Gonçalves faced Zelym Kotsoiev, from Azerbaijan, who would later become European champion and World Championships medalist. Gonçalves was currently ranked 17th in the world and his opponent was ranked 18th in the world and had been world junior champion in 2017. Gonçalves lost in his debut.

He did not participate in the 2019 Pan American Games due to an injury to his right elbow.

He was unable to participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics, as Brazil's place in the 100 kg category went to Rafael Buzacarini.

He participated in the 2020 Pan American Judo Championships held in Guadalajara, Mexico, finishing 5th in the 100 kg category.

At the 2021 Pan American Judo Championships held in Guadalajara, Mexico, Gonçalves won a bronze medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) category.

At the 2021 World Judo Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, he lost in his first fight.

At the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv (Grand Slam is the tournament that gives the most points in the judo ranking after the Olympic Games, the World Championships and the World Masters), Gonçalves won his first Grand Slam medal, a bronze.

At the 2023 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships held in Calgary, Canada, Gonçalves was runner-up in the Half-heavyweight (−100 kg) category and won gold in the mixed team competition representing Brasil.

At the 2023 Pan American Games held in Santiago, he finished 5th in the 100kg category. He also obtained a silver medal for participating in the mixed team modality.

At the 2024 Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships, he won a bronze medal.

At the 2024 World Judo Championship, Gonçalves debuted against the current world champion, Arman Adamian, from Russia, scoring a waza-ari. But, later, the opponent managed to project the Brazilian twice to turn the score around and win the fight.