Maria Alencar faces her former training partner at The Crown
The two trained together for a year and face off in the women’s super heavyweight opener this Sunday
Maria Alencar and Yara Soares meet in the first round of the women’s super heavyweight division at The Crown 2026 this Sunday, November 8, at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California. The two trained together for a year and know each other’s games well.
“I think it will be a calculated and very tough match. We know a bit of each other’s game because we trained together for a year. Yara is a great athlete, and facing a great opponent will definitely demand even more from me,” Alencar told VF Comunica. “We trained a lot to fix mistakes and handle each athlete’s game at The Crown, so I feel that will make the difference: being calm and confident in the work we’ve done.”
Soares makes her Crown debut after winning the Europeans and the Brasileiro in 2026 and taking bronze at Worlds.
Who wins the battle between former training partners?
VF Comunica’s coverage of The Crown is presented by Kingz.
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