International Medallist to Lead Canada’s Next Generation

Erika Miranda Souza Named National Junior/U23 Coach

Montréal, March 27, 2026 – Judo Canada is proud to announce the appointment of Erika Miranda Souza as National Junior and U23 Coach, effective March 30. The accomplished Brazilian-born athlete, who already has four years of international-level coaching experience under her belt, takes on this new challenge with enthusiasm and high hopes for Canada’s next generation of judokas.

Photo : Brazilian Judo Confederation (CBJ)
Erika Miranda Souza

“I have to admit, I’m a bit nervous. It’s a brand new position. But I’m very motivated to work with Canada’s young judokas,” said the newest member of the Judo Canada team.

Before embarking on her coaching career, Erika Miranda Souza achieved remarkable international success in the under-52 kg weight class. Among other accomplishments, she won five medals at the World Championships, including a silver in 2013 and four bronze between 2014 and 2018.

She was also crowned Pan-American champion on three occasions, won gold at the 2015 Pan-American Games, and competed in two Olympic Games—2012 and 2016—where she finished fifth. She won four Grand Slam tournaments and topped the world rankings in her weight class twice during her career.

“We are very pleased to welcome Erika to the team. Her international experience and her vision for athlete development will contribute significantly to the progress of our young judokas,” stated Antoine Valois-Fortier, national head coach and high performance director at Judo Canada.

The opportunity to work with up-and-coming athletes was a key factor in Erika’s decision. After gaining experience in a variety of capacities since she began coaching in 2022, she now wishes to fully devote herself to the development of young athletes.

“In Germany, I worked with the senior team for three years, and it was a wonderful experience. But last year, in Brazil, I started working with younger athletes, and the opportunity to continue to do so in Canada was very appealing. It will give me more time to work with them and help them progress. I see it as a challenge, but an extremely motivating one,” said the coaching team’s latest recruit.

In her new role, the 38-year-old plans first and foremost to build on the athletes’ existing skills without “modifying the essence of who they are,” while also diversifying their style by drawing on her own experience as an athlete representing Brazil.

“It’s still a bit early for me to go into detail, since I haven’t met the athletes yet, but I think I’ll be able to help them improve in areas where they are already strong,” she explained. “My aim is not to completely change Canadian judo. Rather, I hope to enrich it. Brazilian judo is very creative. For example, say you’re strong in a certain area, there are many ways to express that strength while still keeping it intact.”

Erika Miranda Souza has already met with Antoine Valois-Fortier, and she feels very positive about the collaborative relationship that is taking shape for the coming years.

“He explained how the system works. I’m very excited about the prospect of working with him. He’s very open-minded, he works very hard, and he’s committed to improving judo in Canada. I have a feeling we’ll work together very well in the years to come,” she affirmed.

Beyond titles and medals, for Erika Miranda Souza, the most important elements of her journey as an athlete have been the relationships she has built. This is the philosophy she hopes to pass on to her new charges, placing respect at the heart of her approach.

“What I remember most are the times I spent with my friends and the bonds we formed. Those are the things I hold most dear. For me, when working toward high-level sports performance, it’s important to do so with kindness, compassion, respect, and education. I look forward to working with each of the athletes. Together, we can achieve great things,” she concluded.

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Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada

For more information:

Patrick Esparbès
Chief Operating Officer
Judo Canada
(514) 668-6279
p.esparbes@judocanada.org